What if you weren't the most important character?

[Forever]

So in every game your protagonist is the most important, and is generally the champion at the end. With this in mind, the protagonist also saves the world in some sort of way at some point, too. BUT what if this was all put to side, and what if you got the starters like normal, set out to get 8 badges... but had no difference upon the story. For once you weren't a protagonist but just a character. What if someone else was the hero, the main character, the one that solved all the bad? And you only witnessed it from a bystander POV? Do you think this would make X/Y less exciting/challenging for you? Do you think it's possible to occur in these games? Do you think if you fond out about it now it'd destroy the hype? Share your thoughts on how else this could affect gameplay, too!

[Cerberus87]

I think N was more important than the player in BW.

[XanderO]

Since the game still revolves around you, you'd still be the main character and protagonist. Someone else would just have the special light. But the focus on your character wouldn't change. Only thing it would do is make the game incredibly boring.

[Magmaruby and Aquasapphire]

Too many what if threads as of late...
Anyways I've always felt like the main character isn't important until later on in the game, getting draged in by the evil team into the plot.

[Twilight Sky]

Since the game still revolves around you, you'd still be the main character and protagonist. Someone else would just have the special light. But the focus on your character wouldn't change. Only thing it would do is make the game incredibly boring.

This, to a good extent?

I suppose I can understand that it's definitely nice to see things from a different perspective, but the bystander POV wouldn't do well. What could you do as a bystander that would set you apart from the main character, of which the spotlight is on? Your options are pretty limited, I mean I suppose beating the gym and the elite four is an option like your standard storyline, but not facing the evil team(because the protagonist is doing that) and doing all of those other heroic things...yeah it wouldn't really be exciting at all. :(

I'd rather play as the champion! Now that would be interesting. XD

[Ash493]

Without you being the MC, the storyline possibilities would be very limited...
And without story, the game would be short and not really enjoyable.

[Aerilyn]

The games would lack a larger portion of the plot if that were to happen. While the focus on the player wouldn't change, playing as a sideline character would limit our roles as to what we can do. The level of difficulty would also take a dive as there would be less of a challenge for the player to face. In the words of XanderO, it would be incredibly boring... and short.

[Miss Doronjo]

The plot would definitely be rethought of, and it would definitely be a step away from the traditional methods. I'm not sure if the protagonist should be a side-hero though. I would much rather have more playable characters in that regard, but even then, I wouldn't want them to have too big of the spotlight, but just side quests of sort.

[PokémonShinySilver]

I can definitely say that if Pokémon X and Y had the player as just a normal character and never doing anything heroic, it would be a very different sort of game. It may be more challenging, but without the player being the main character... it kind of takes away the spotlight from the story and makes the game less interesting. :x

In most video games, the player is often the one that saves the day, and if it isn't... then there isn't any special excitement and joy for the storyline. But games like Animal Crossing are an exception to this, since it focuses on real-life simulation and that the player doesn't need to be a hero... since there really isn't any storyline involved. ;)

[Forever]

For me I think it might be likely..? Like it seemed like there was another character walking with us at one point and we might be the ones helping them, rather than them helping us. Or perhaps someone else could be the hero, then when they're down we become the hero - but for the main part we're nothing...?