Popularity Power/Video Games

Examples of Popularity Power in Video Games include:

Zero somehow pushed his way from Mauve Shirt status to the co-protagonist role of Mega Man X - even after being killed!
- Subversion. Word of God says Zero's design was originally intended to be Mega Man X but was made into a side character Ensemble Darkhorse due to fear of Executive Meddling and They Changed It, Now It Sucks. Meaning this instance of the trope was actually the Unintentional Backup Plan that allowed the creator's original setup to happen all along.
In the Touhou Project series, Cirno started out as not only being one of the weakest characters but being famous for it within the fandom. She's the second stage boss in the first game in which she appears and the stage one miniboss in the next game (making her the weakest boss in that entire game). However, her popularity propelled her to become a playable character in two later games. Her storyline in Hisoutensoku seems to put her as being as being only somewhat weaker than the main characters, putting her at well above average for the setting.
- She now has her own game. Interestingly, however, she's depicted as being a lot less powerful than fans assume and even somewhat below her Fighting Game incarnation. Most of the foes she fights are fairies (of which she is already the strongest, meme notwithstanding) and she gets roughed up in the process of defeating the Extra Boss, a first for the series PCs. At least she can shoot straight now.
Leonhardt Raglen in Agarest Senki is the protagonist of the first generation only. However, his storyline, his awesome stats, his fairly heroic status, and his badassery earned him the number one spot as to who the fans want to bring back in Agarest Senki 2 where he suddenly can pull off flash steps and Implausible Fencing Powers.
- And then he does it again with Compile Heart's new game, Mugen Souls.
In the Dungeons series (Dungeons and Dungeons: The Dark Lord), this is a game mechanic. Essentially, the more prestige you have, the better stats you have, and the more you entertain the adventurers, the more resources they give upon their deaths.
In the original Mobile Suit Gundam Char was barely able to harm the original Gundam with his modified Zaku II and was an even fight with Amuro when his skills were only half-decent. In Dynasty Warriors: Gundam's original story he battles some of Gundams most powerful suits and pilots (including some who beat him in the Hyaku Shiki) in that Zaku II and often times has the upperhand which is made all the more ridiculous by Amuro and the original Gundam barely able to go toe-to-toe with many of these people.

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