The Real MVPs: NPC Hall of Fame
Greetings Gamers!
The real MVPs. They work 24/7. No sleep, no breaks, all gas! They get rekt or manipulated incessantly and just reset like it’s all part of the job. And worst of all? Not a single thanks. It’s time we said what we’re all thinking: NPCs are the real MVPs!
Video games are packed with brave heroes, powerful villains, and NPCs who… well, stand around endlessly, give you the same three lines of dialogue, are always there to sell you a potion, to hand you a fully-loaded weapon, and somehow survive countless wars without a bathroom break. It’s time we showed some respect, right!?
This is that! This is that glorified shoutout to those AI controlled unsung heroes. To the background characters holding our favorite game worlds together. To the teammates that never got tired of having to run it back on another level. This is for you! So, without further ado... let us all pay some respect to the NPCs that have championed our causes without cause of their own!!
The Skyrim Guards
"I used to be an adventurer like you..." No single line has done more heavy lifting in gaming lore. RIP their knees though. These dudes are everywhere in Skyrim, wearing the same outfit, offering sass, and somehow surviving dragon attacks with a basic helmet and a dream. Whether they're taking an arrow to the knee or just keeping the streets sorta safe, Skyrim Guards are the backbone of Tamriel’s tourism board and have my respect!
Pokémon Center Nurse
Name a harder-working medical professional; I'll wait. She’s been on the clock since 1996, never takes a day off, never so much as leans on the counter. She heals your entire party for free, smiles while doing it, and watches you walk right back out to electroshock wild animals. Nurse Joy (or her infinite identical cousins) has got you. No insurance. No paperwork. Just that iconic jingle and a warm smile. The Poké healthcare system might be the most efficient in the multiverse, and it’s all thanks to this absolute icon.
Elden Ring Merchants
These poor souls are out here camped in haunted ruins and fire-blasted wastelands. No guards. No safe zones. Just a rickety anvil and eternal peril as they somehow wander everywhere in the Lands Between, chilling in caves, ruins, and graveyards, just waiting to sell you that smithing stone you needed. How do they survive all this madness? Nobody knows. But when you finally drag your mangled self to one of them after a boss wipes the floor with you, it's like finding a oasis in the middle of a desert.
Halo Marines
You’ve got the UNSC soldiers who hand Master Chief a fresh weapon and say, “Go get ’em, sir,” like they didn’t just see you solo an entire Covenant battalion. They stand there with a pistol, zero cover, and a whole lot of misplaced confidence. Cannon fodder with a can-do attitude. Master Chief may get the glory, but these UNSC soldiers are right there in the trenches cracking jokes, firing at Covenant dropships, and occasionally getting launched into orbit by a stray grenade. They’re the blue-collar heroes of the Halo universe, giving 110% with 0% chance of survival. Salute and respect!
Stardew Valley Citizens
Running shops six days a week, organizing festivals, losing loved ones to corporate burnout, and still giving you heartfelt birthday gifts. The folks of Pelican Town run this place like a well-oiled, adorable machine. Every single character has a personality, schedule, and emotional arc. Gus feeds you. Robin builds your house. Linus teaches you how to be chill. You’re not just farming crops, you’re cultivating relationships with one of the best NPC lineups ever thought up!
There we go! These NPCs aren’t just background noise, they’re digital workhorses, lore lifters, and pixelated paragons of patience. Join me in saying, here’s to the unsung legends who make our worlds immersive, weird, and occasionally hilarious!! Thank you game creators for making awesome NPCs and side characters!
Who else deserves a spot in the NPC Hall of Fame?! Let us know in the comments below and they make it in the next lineup! Bonus points for obscure NPC MVPs!
