Who is the Protagonist? || Poppy Playtime Theory

[@hashashafashasha]

from a storytelling standpoint, rich getting a tape in every chapter means he is almost certainly an important character. i'd assume either the prototype or the protagonist

[@adamabdulfattah]

You're right

[@TheSilverCanine_R3D-H]

So either the main antagonist or protagonist

[@DontPrayForMeOfficialNew]

He's not a prototype. There was a tape where Rich talks with catnap. In this tape catnap says to him "prototype will save us". After that Rich tells him to stfu and that he's in his prison

[@aidmon81]

@@DontPrayForMeOfficialNew Wasn't that tape Leith Pierre, the Head of Innovation?

[@DontPrayForMeOfficialNew]

@@aidmon81 we can literally hear rich's voice. Also we know that Rich got promoted by his senior coworker stu

[@Warrior-Of-Virtue]

I used to think it was an orphan who managed to escape but Chapter 3 shot that down pretty quick.

[@Alfi.9]

I'm pretty sure it's already being shot down from Chapter 2 because of Mommy Long Legs

[@sophiazheng3147]

Nah I think it was shot down from the start, it was said at the beginning that you used to be an employee

[@leotheowlhousefan91]

Same

[@vanessaan3095]

I have a theory related to this, what if some of the orphans who couldnt get fostered who eventually grew old into adults, ended up being exposed by the company to all the secrets ended up becoming workers? This would benefit the company due to their shortage of staff, and these orphans can basically do unpaid labour since they were basically raised by the company itself so it would make sense they owe that back. Now when you said the protagonist may be an orphan, that could be a posibility. What if we were able to find our way to escape the factory right before the hour of joy? And when we got the letter, could have been from the orphans who grew up to be workers? And we got it becuase they knew who we were as they grew up with us as orphans so they saw us as an opportunity to be saved and eventually escape (there could be many other posibilities bc of rich and our role as a worker in the company but this is just a tought lol)

[@GamerMage2k-kl4iq]

Keep in mind the experiments were going in for at least a few decades before the hour of joy. There is nothing that states that a kid from the orphanage who is considers very smart and skilled can’t be kept alive til adulthood to become an employee. Especially if they got adopted by one of the employees at the factory.

[@PlinkyTheGrand]

I feel like the fact he's in every chapter in some way really adds on to the fact he must be a main character. Either as the protagonist, or antagonists

[@ethanbeiser9887]

If you believe Tom from Game Theory, Rich is most likely the Prototype, with the protagonist being the unnamed head of production.

[@gianpierolafornara1708]

​@@ethanbeiser9887If Rich is the prototype, it'll become my favorite villain ever

[@rustythomas6982]

yeah hes either one or the other.

[@Simbala-bq5vy]

But other employees like Stella also was in every chapter.

[@alliesangalli1757]

The change in VA and direction for Stuart in the chapter 3 VHS is interesting. The original clip sounded warm and understanding while the new one sounds distant and almost uncaring, maybe even a little suspicious. I don't know why they changed it, but maybe it's to foreshadow Rich being set up by Playtime, maybe turning him into one of the experiments?

[@NixAyala]

Really? I was wondering why it didn't sound quite the same, because my impression of him when I watched the playthrough is that of a kind old man.

[@hedidnotpleaseme]

in the first VA he kinda sounded Italian idk

[@Kaidhicksii]

That's probably the only change that I'm less than thrilled about with the Chapter 3 patch updates. The first VA was exactly as you said: warm, understanding; sounded like an older gentleman. This new guy just sounds bland, no offense to whoever the VA is.

[@owentheslug]

​@@Kaidhicksiiyeah the quality of the new VA's work is fine. He did a great job, but for this role & this task I just liked the original one better. If it turns out that Stu is double crossing Rich or something it would kinda be awesome if it came from the kindly sweet older voice vs slightly generic office man.

[@samantharutledge6427]

Glad I'm not the only one that noticed.

[@rafaelcunha1760]

the protagonist is, like Henry, a former factory employee who returns after being invited by a letter

[@DelusionalCovers]

Bro is literally Henry

[@bella_waltz]

No fr

[@aphp801]

@@DelusionalCovers NAHHHHH THERE THE SAME. AFTER BINC (bendy in the cage) HE GETS TELELPORTED TFFFFRRRR

[@onyxwolfreaper21]

Poppy Playtime's basically a mix of BATIM and FNAF

[@rafaelcunha1760]

@@onyxwolfreaper21 but I think it's more Bendy

[@torazely]

I don't think the Protagonist is Rich for a few reasons: 1) Rich has a voice actor, so there would be no reason to keep the Protest silent. 2) Rich doesn't seem like the kind of person who'd leave before or during the Hour of Joy. He's not the kind to run. 3) He clearly cares about the children, so he wouldn't have helped in the experiments on them. But we know thanks to Mommy Long-Legs that our character had a part to play in them. So no, I don't think Rich is the Protag. Rich is the Prototype.

[@Prince_Artic]

If u look closely when Rich started to work at the factory the playcare was already in action meaning the prototype must have already been created by this time and hence playtime co. was already looking for test subject like orphans. Hence he can't be the prototype

[@MagicalFlame]

The protagonist could also be Stella. She's an employee, who cared about the kids. She seemed genuinely confused and upset when she saw 'testing' on that orphan kid's file. So maybe after finding out, she quits. She misses out on the Hour of Joy and comes back 10 years later. But hey, that's just a theory.

[@StarParticleShade]

A GAME THE----okay... I'll go now....

[@yuukinaasahina]

I'm actually thinking the same thing

[@KylieHilliard-f8f]

I agree with this theory! I think it makes sense especially with how poppy and some of the other toys supposedly believe we’re good and didn’t do anything wrong. If the protagonist was someone like Harley sawyer I doubt they’d treat us like we’re good. Stella also sounds like she was an orphan herself (not through playtime co tho) because when she talks to the parents trying to adopt the boy in ch 3 she says something about kids finding homes that sounds like personal experience. I also like to think the reason Stella could’ve called out for work that day is because she had morning sickness or something and she ended up having her own child and that’s partially what pushes her to return to the factory, she feels guilt for the children and the staff that she left all those years ago. There’s no real evidence for that one, just something I like to picture if that’s who we play as

[@abbeelegrand9548]

I’m thinking rich is more likely to be the prototype

[@Savannathepup]

Then what about poppy who's poppy

[@void_summoner_89]

I think the protagonist is darker than you realize, do you remember in chapter 3 that during the nightmare sequence. You come across a radio telling the news about a body inside Elliot Ludwig's home after his passing. Why would that be stuck in the protagonist's mind, I think they planted that body there as a way to expose playtime co. You might ask why would the protagonist do this? If you come across a radio that has a backward message on it, it states how the protagonist missed a meeting after the hour of joy. I'm assuming that the protagonist and other workers were working with the prototype, but they knew the prototype wasn't going to spare anyone. So, they convinced the prototype that they have another exposed playtime co. And the prototype agrees, but if they fail, the hour of joy must happens.

[@danielRpauls]

I thought of this too. Thanks for pointing it out.

[@Redmirax]

The meeting is The Hour of Joy itself. as for Rich he is more likely to be The Prototype due to his hate towards to Playtime Co. Factory and its staff

[@GamerMage2k-kl4iq]

That could be possible and would explain why that detail is in there

[@annablaze4577]

Ooooooo interesting

[@TRG_R17Two]

Reply 5, you lose your innocence if you work at playtime co

[@lrcronk9874]

Actually Poppy playtime CH1 actually told us why the protagonist wasn't there. In an early version of CH1 it said that we took a sick day of and the next morning when we returned there were thousands of cop cars outside. So taken a sick day of was actually the reason why we didn't show up to the hour of joy.

[@queenr.s656]

Wait what When did that happen? I don't remember that happening in chapter one.

[@lrcronk9874]

@@queenr.s656 it was a scraped version of CH1.

[@ashershahzad2185]

Why was it scrapped though? What if they changed the story line, so it was scrapped?

[@lrcronk9874]

@@ashershahzad2185 well in an early version of CH2 at the end Poppy told us that the employees were looking for are gone, but they changed the reveal for CH3, so they probably did the same thing again, changing the reveal but still keeping the lore the same.🤷

[@JonRoblóxx]

Absolutely lucky moment💀

[@TwistedSolarium]

My theory is that Rich is actually Dogday, because the voices match (can also just be a coincidence), and Rich likes kids and Dogdag likes kids. But thats just a theory....

[@snufkinwufkin9247]

I think that fits a lot more

[@hector5_5]

A game theory!

[@simpapathy]

I honestly thought they were the same VA when we first met Dog Day!

[@randomThavi]

That's what I initially thought as well. There's also the possibility of him being the prototype

[@BadNameJackson]

Nah, that would have been explained already.

[@realbiggestlegofanconnor7007]

Also I REALLY wish they kept stu’s voice as an old man because he’s supposed to be retiring soon and his new voice sounds like he’s 40 something at the least when his old voice sounded a lot older and like someone who WOULD be nearly hitting retirement (I don’t even know why they changed it)

[@TheDogBark27]

Agreed

[@J_artz_]

i agree. i liked that older voice and it sounded as if he even connected to him on some level. wish they kept it.

[@AlpiineSnowGriffin]

Yeah I'm so mad every time I hear the new version!! Like it makes me wanna shake MOB and go " CHANGE IT BAAAACK "

[@TheUnrealRager]

Yeah he used to have an accent but now he sounds so much younger and it's just weird 😢

[@realbiggestlegofanconnor7007]

@@TheUnrealRager yeah his old voice actually sounded like someone who would be nearing retirement but his new voice doesn’t sound anywhere near retirement age

[@celticcomedy1316]

I could be wrong but Rich isn’t the only person with so much importance placed on him via tapes for each chapter. Stella’s tapes also appear in each chapter but we haven’t seen her

[@greydummy2702]

Stella's tapes dont appear in chapter 2,

[@SabinaCabanero]

@@greydummy2702 Not tape but voice in the game station

[@greydummy2702]

@@SabinaCabanero I meant in chapter 3 -_-

[@Tracy_WF]

Game Theorists: Rich is the Prototype SHB: Rich is the Protagonist What comes next?

[@TheCrystalPhantomRoses]

What comes next? One theory I've heard was...Rich is dead and we're playing as a not yet introduced character in the game.

[@caseydreamuslpsandmore2582]

Yes i do agree with the little confusion going on. Game theorists: Rich is the prototype Some people believe that Rich may be the protagonist. I'm not going to care which theory is true.

[@valpix770]

Rich is Elliot Ludwig 🤔 (joke)

[@JonRoblóxx]

Rich is the ceo

[@chriswihulu]

@@TheCrystalPhantomRoses Maybe as an assistant or right hand man to Rich, someone who worked at the factory, but was maybe warned by Rich to not return. So Rich can be dead in this scenario.

[@bunny8970]

I swear the dude talking to Rich in the third VHS was more like-- accented???

[@mindnightwolfy1889]

I thought it was just me

[@alexiswheeler497]

Yeah he sounded European in the first take? Did they change his voice actor???

[@venomfan2020]

I preferred when Stewart was a seemingly old guy from a foreign country. I just liked the image in my mind, I guess

[@venomfan2020]

​@@alexiswheeler497 Maybe 😔

[@butterflywteeth]

1000%, I thought it was just me that noticed

[@ashuraomega1000]

I feel the protagonist is most likely Rich or someone that is affiliated with him given how he seems to be a very important part of the story evidenced by his VHS tapes in every chapter.

[@ethanbeiser9887]

It’s more likely that Rich is the prototype rather than the protagonist (if you believe Tom from Game Theory)

[@gianpierolafornara1708]

Avery maybe?

[@jazzjackson9817]

Personally it would make sense that protagonist is Stuart. We know he retire from company which makes sense if he choose not to show up on the his last day which is hour if joy for personal reason.

[@queenr.s656]

Honestly if the protagonist is male I would think he would be rich but if female I think the player would be that female character that wanted to be a kid forever I forgot her name

[@kazuma_matata1707]

@@queenr.s656 you mean Stella Greybur right?

[@hashashafashasha]

i love the idea that the protagonist wasn't present for the hour of joy just because they were bunking off work

[@theantnerd2262]

bro called in "sick" to watch a football game that saved his life

[@ItsSederec]

​@@theantnerd2262 FR

[@agente7417]

You guys all miss an important detail, the protagonist never missed the hour of joy, in his hallucination sequence he littery remembers part of the hour of joy.

[@danielschultz6177]

The protagonist is probably having major survivors guilt. Especially after watching the hour of joy tape. And probably agrees with poppy. That he’s the one that need to finally end all this, to redeem themself.

[@muigogitoultrasonic3947]

It's a good theory...but: If Rich cares about the children, and actually knew the dark secrets of the company, I don't think that he would be able to quit that easily... In the ARGs, those who knew what happen in the company would ended up either killed, or turned into experiment subjects. They wanted a bright image in the eyes of the public, so thinking Rich able to quit while knew something about it would be near impossible. Another thing that confused me with this theory is that if he really knew the dark secrets of the entire situation, he should be in one of the higher-ups of the company, yet the problem occurs that back in the 2nd Chapter, the slide that has its letters fell off doesn't spell out Rich in any sort of way. Mommy Long Legs knew the protagonist worked there before, but it's doubtful that she would be able to remember all the employees working there after 10+ years, so it had to be someone very significant or having higher rankings. Stuart also sounded to be someone in the higher ranking, and him giving Rich that role unofficially hinted that Rich would be given a supervisor role of sorts. While it's entirely possible that Rich knew what the hour of joy actually be and taken such action, as he missed that meeting/party, but you said that it was happen within the 1st red smoke illusion, meaning its authenticity is questionable at best. Plus it wouldn't make sense to come back now just because some letter that looks to be written by a kid, yet not able to process the fact that this is impossible to happen in the first place (any survived kid would be teen by the start of the game, and none of the toys that actually attack the player is a kid, all of them has adult voices inside) when he knew the "sunlights" in the factory was fake all along... It's a cool thought, but given how the chapters played out and other clues shown, it's kinda fallen apart for me

[@anythingyoucando1546]

I feel that Rich was given the promotion to be the Scapegoat.

[@vincenthall5908]

I think personally, Rich quit by just not showing up that day to work. He stayed home and was going to resign, which happened to be the day of the hour of joy. So him staying home to quit is what saved his life.

[@chriswihulu]

I think that something outside of the Factory, might have happened to the protagonist, as a 10 year long silence or absence, is a lot longer time to wait, than most would go along with. If, for example, the dead child was planted, could it not indicate that Playtime might go out of there way to silence whistleblowers, maybe cause an accident that left them in a 10 year long coma or rehabilitation. No evidence of this, but it always struck me as odd, that the Protagonist never speaks, so maybe they did something to him, which cost him his voice and that could maybe play into the Prototype, which is able to mimic voices.

[@alexanderhenby1362]

I don't think Rich quit. He had been reprimanded for his attitude before. I think he was high up, I think he found out, made a stink to someone (lots of news stuff, so maybe the to the media) To cover up that story a little boys body they happened to have on hand is uncovered at the home of beloved Elliott Ludwig. Rich is fired. Taken to court, called crazy, possibly even accused for the grizzly murder but, nothing comes of that. His life is ruined, his image is ruined and he's deemed a Crack pot. Playtime can't kill him, the factory would be over run with press and feds if a whistle blower high up is found dead. (Especially with a loved one at home) But if he's publicly smeared. He's unreliable. Even if he does have "proof" who is going to believe him? Turning kids into toys! Crazy talk! Maybe he loses his wife over it. Maybe his house. Maybe he loses everything. Big company lawyers? But then he gets a letter ten years later. "As for you, I don't know how you found this listing, and there was originally a way out for you. But I don't think that's what you want" I think we are playing Rich, and he never planned to come out of that building again.

[@alexanderhenby1362]

​@chriswihulu Everyone is on this idea that the Prototype "mimics" voices. (I blame FNAF) I think, it has those voices. Mommy says "No, he'll make me a part of him" and the effigy that Catnap made was LOTS of bodies. I think the Prototype has those voices in him. He didn't learn to sound like the doctor. I think he killed the doctor.

[@wreckitralphfan0017]

I've had a feeling Rich was being hinted at throughout the game for a reason, and you detailed on it quite nicely in this video!

[@elihurtt2066]

My headcanon is that the player looks yellow and faceless because they’re a big living toy. When Ms. Delight says “you used to work here” she means you used to have a job making the training videos for the grabpack

[@nightsentinel4622]

that ........does sort of make sense actually

[@blanche__]

I agree but in the files of chapter 2 , the protag has the yellow toy model. But yeah that's probably not what they look like ​@OldSmokes

[@UndernetBroker]

I didn't know they changed Stuarts VA.

[@carnassier_art]

i was about to say summ about that, i liked stus accent :(

[@EclariHanover]

Yeah I thought I imagined that change. I liked the old one :/

[@bella_daze3092]

Me neither😭😭😭

[@nobleoxidation]

My same reaction, I don't like the new voice. The older VA sounded so much more compassionate and like they really did have a soft spot for Rich compared to this new voice.

[@nobleoxidation]

Also the old voice sounded closer to retirement 😂

[@shaniceball9052]

I have a feeling that we were once an orphan at Playcare too, cause in the hallucinations, we're joining in with the other children. But we must have seen something and so Playtime Co. made it their job to keep us quiet by employing us and keeping a sharp eye on us. But then The Hour Of Joy came along, giving us the chance to escape the factory! And i still believe that The Prototype is Elliot Ludwig, and his lost family member was his daughter. Who is now the soul inside Poppy herself.

[@Legoreviewer354]

I think the protagonist is Stuart. Stuart said that he was going to retire what if Stuart retired the day before the hour of joy making him absent from the hour of joy

[@will_o_wisp]

That does some plausible, I think it's Rich because there's so much emphasis on him so far, 3 tapes, getting to know him and his personality but Stuart only appears in the third. But he may appear in more stuff in the future, I doubt the game is anywhere near finished

[@alishahird897]

It seems like Rich was highlighted quite a bit for him to be the player. It's hard to tell at this point. I had originally thought that maybe he was DogDay...but I'm not sure anymore.

[@okami-chan9772]

I still don't know why they changed Stewart's voice actor, I really like the elderly voice from the first one

[@elkin2567]

Still think it’s Stella Grayburn We see her progression from naive happy go lucky starter employee to the main consular at Playcare. How bad would it be for someone that actually believed in Playtime to someone who was inadvertently helping the researcher abduct orphans? She really seems like the one that would be the most haunted by what happened. Also it makes sense why everyone would recognize her. Example: Mommy and ms delight both know the protagonist so it makes sense they are someone important like Stella.

[@greydummy2702]

The game refers to the player as a he though

[@Simbala-bq5vy]

@greydummy2702 Actually it refers us as they. Our gender is still unknown. I so hope that it's Stella!

[@AloneTheorist]

There was a scientist/management member who left without notice according to Leith Pierre in one of his VHS tapes. This person seems equally qualified to be the protagonist as Rich does as this person missed the hour joy too and was in need of a replacement which was left to Leith Pierre to hire. This person would have an equal burden of guilt to Rich as they will have seen the horrors first hand and had a direct part in them like mommy long legs's speech suggests.

[@parasitophobia]

the scientist you’re referring to is Harley Sawyer aka The Doctor , as they explicitly state that Harley Sawyer couldn’t make it and that they’d need a replacement for him (which implies that he will be/has been gone for a prolonged period of time. Also the way the wording and tone sounds in that tape seems to be implying something bad happened to Harley Sawyer prior to the hour of joy , which could be implied by the tape where Harley Sawyer talks to the Prototype, where the prototype mimics Sawyer’s voice at the end in a somewhat threatening way , which could imply that kinda thing too.

[@Alfi.9]

I'm still waiting for the plot twist about the whereabout of Elliot Ludwig

[@RoxieWolfie]

Did Stuart get a new voice actor? I remember him having an accent when I first played CH3.

[@slothbones9677]

I like the old one better

[@einfilin]

oh yea he had an accent, i never realised they changed it 👁👄👁

[@bella_daze3092]

He did. It’s weird hearing the voice different 😭😭

[@drawingdragon]

I still can't find a single thing mentioning why. Just people throwing around theories about not being able to get the VA for chapter 4 and wanting to be consistent, or maybe controversy with Stus old VA, just nothing but people speculating. The most the patch notes mention about it is "updated end credits." Considering how specific Mob Games are with their voice acting, it's really weird

[@rachelsheppard9122]

Yes, for whatever reason they replaced the VA.

[@ryonhatcher4561]

I think it's possible that Rich may be this anonymous hero, and that he returned to the Factory to initially find out what happened to his co-workers, but also to set things right. But I don't believe he *quit* his job, per se. Given that 90% of the Factory have (as Rich puts it) "had it out for him", it's possible that his higher-ups may have *fired* him, likely due to some growing suspicions of his. Rich may have gotten some suspicions regarding Playtime Co., since his promotion, as well as grew to be care for these kids, just as Stella Greyber. It's plausible that some of the Board Members like Leith Pierre and Harley Sawyer see this as a problem to their operations and terminated Rich. Stella's, however, we're still uncertain if she was also fired or more likely killed. *Side Note:* I don't like Stuart's Voice Change, it doesn't feel right in my opinion. I liked his original voice better, the one with some accent. This new voice, it just doesn't seem genuine.

[@noonyx33]

I liked the other VO as well

[@colekiesler6218]

The protagonist of Poppy Playtime is possibly the most mixed character because while being he main character, you still gotta remember that there were times where they did some truly behind the scenes stuff for example Huggy Wuggy and Mommy Long Legs deaths. This then creates a twist which could possibly be explained later on when remembering Playtime Co. itself possibly being the true villain.

[@greydummy2702]

How was killing huggy and mommy "Behind the scenes stuff?" both of them had to die eventually, Even poppy said it was a good thing when you killed mommy

[@jazzjackson9817]

I highly doubt it is rich for several reasons which is 1. Too honest which he would have been victim of boxy boo due to attempting contact news press, law enforcement, and so forth 2. Rich admitted that he is not allow to interact with kids which makes it impossible to seen orphanage and met miss delight assuming he didn't got promoted 3. Might be huggy for it did escape to return home which his wife may lives. Currently it make since if it was Stuart for he may have left early than his actual retirement which gives him bigger reason to feel guilty about.

[@BadNameJackson]

The protagonist wasn't at the factory when the hour of joy happened.

[@RallyCheetah]

I think it's possible the protagonist is Rich but the lack of vocalizations from our character gives me some doubt. Feel like Rich would be cursing A LOT during the many cutscene interactions. It could be he became mute in the decade after the plant shut down (maybe intentionally to avoid having to answer questions and instead just make a written statement.) But I think one of the female teachers/counselors might be more likely. I also mentioned in the last theory post but I think our character may have had a hand in aiding Huggy escape in the video "RESTRICTED_disappearance_06-18-1992.mp4." Pierre wrote that "How (Huggy) was able to access the ventilation system without security's realization is beyond (him)." This makes it sound like Huggy must have had help, likely someone on the inside. Say someone who knows possible blind spots in security and/or has access to security and could temporarily turn cameras or other systems off for "maintenance" or something. Such an individual would have to be sympathetic to the toys and likely helped Huggy in hopes that their escape would bring light to the cruelty happing at the plant. BUT Huggy ended up killing 5 people in his escape with 6 more missing. These casualties would likely haunt the staff member who aided Huggy in his escape. I feel having our PC be a part of helping with Huggy's escape would also explain why our PC hallucinates Huggy coming out of the TV. I mean, at this point it could have easily been another toy as several others have attacked our PC and Huggy is presumed dead at this point. But it's Huggy specifically, not Mommy, or Pugapillar, or even the one that would make the most sense Catnap. Now this could just be because Huggy is like the main mascot for this game (even more so than Poppy herself) but we have Kissy in this chapter so I don't think they really were lacking in Huggy reference. But if there were some trauma linked to Huggy, like guilt for inadvertently getting several coworkers killed, then having Huggy appear as horrific nightmare would make perfect sense. Also think out PC had a part in placing the child's body at the Ludwig estate. Probably did so as an attempt to bring light to the horrors happening at the plant. And when that failed and the company PR swept it under the rug with the public and authorities then that's likely why out PC turned to helping Huggy escape. If Huggy had gone uncaptured then there would proof of the experimentation. There would have to be an investigation of the plant. Huggy would likely be killed by local law enforcement in their encounter but still, as tragic as that may be their death could save hundreds of others.

[@gachamukadi]

I keep forgetting that the protagonist used to work here and is on a mission to find his employees and what went down at Playtime Co. Also Mike, stay strong. We all know you are busy, so please take things one at a time

[@MrSinisterSandman]

I think it's more likely that the Protagonist is a creation of Playtime Co, partly because they've made a point of obscuring their identity to such a degree, same as the out-of-bounds Prototype is just a claw. If we looked like a normal person, then I'd expect us to have some generic features showing, like actual hands. But we get nothing. We worked here like Miss Delight worked here. We worked here like Mommy Long Legs worked here. We worked here like Bunzo and PJ worked here. We are a creation of Playtime Co. And, just to be clear, that doesn't mean that we aren't still Rich. We can be two things. We can be both...

[@GJames-Legend101]

I had a few ideas. 1. we play as Harley sawyer the doctor who started the bigger bodies initiative and made the living toys. 2. We play as a possibly orphan who grew up in playtime co orphanage and got a job but left. 3. We play as one of the possible caretakers of the children in playtime co. 4. Were a possible toy experiment who believes that were human. 5. It probably doesn’t matter lol.

[@MalumMarionette-xb9rq]

The doctor sawyer part I doubt. Why do you think he would return? He's a monster

[@bladeworkzgames]

We're not a toy. Miss Delight in chapter 3 confirms that we're human.

[@Corpsemangle01]

I agree with the first part. Harvey Sawyer, in my opinion, is the protagonist

[@MalumMarionette-xb9rq]

@@Corpsemangle01 HE'S CRUEL, there no way we can be Harley sawyer. I mean, If Harley Sawyer ever got that note, what do you think he'd do?

[@MagicalFlame]

@@MalumMarionette-xb9rq I agree with you, the protagonist of the game feels guilt. Whereas Harley, experimented on kids and got excited about it. I imagine a person like that wouldn't know how to feel guilty.

[@prokidsstunts7647]

dude the song you use in every explanation and theory video is an absolute banger 🔥

[@andreaparham79]

I kinda thought maybe Rich might be 1006. We know for a fact disgruntled workers faced horrendous consequences for going against the company… but there’s no evidence they were ONLY murdered. It’s possible some were used as experiments. It would explain 1006 love for the children and his anger… I dunno tho…

[@justinsabino8535]

I just realized that Rich almost sounds and acts like Gordon from My Friendly Neighborhood

[@daisychainsknox]

I am probably wrong, but I think the protagonist is Stella. She is someone that all of the toys (especially Mommy) would have been familiar with, and she seemed to work really closely with the orphans. I’m not 100% sure why she wouldn’t have been at work during the hour of joy, but she may have realized she was in over her head and tried to leave. I think Rich might end up being the prototype. I’m not confident in that answer, just a thought I’ve had over and over again watching this game unfold.

[@merdanapaydin6473]

I know you’re taking a break but I appreciate you so much because you still post videos frequently You’re the best Mike❤

[@OldDeadAcct44]

Re-edit this. The 3rd Rich and Stuart doesn’t sound like the final version in the game. Also, The Island of Misfit Toys was first seen in the Rudolph special in 1948. Perhaps Rich saw it as a kid?

[@bubbamoon6464]

i feel like the protagonist is stella Greybear. Both Mommy long legs and miss delight recognize the protagonist. Mommy long legs resides in the train play area, and miss delight in the schoolhouse. These are both places stella greybear works, either in or around the area. Rich on the other hand, his character is still too vauge to say what his importance is. Hes concerned for the kids sure, but other playtie employees are shown to be much more distraught over the kids care, whereas rich has more of a passive concern. He is important though, no doubt about that. There's just not enough we know about him to say who he becomes.

[@marcopeter7581]

If the Protagonist was rich, then we would be dead. Rich is temperamental and wouldn't keep quiet about playtime co. He would have been taken out or used in an experiment, if he was getting to know everything about Playtime. Imagine if someone who was really deep in on the experiments wanted to quit, would you let them go? We need to keep a few things also in mind: 1. Our protagonist must have been in an high position in Playtime, if Mommy Long Legs knows us. 2. We shouldn't know about the deadly nature or the experiments in detail: If we knew about the orphans and wanted to quit we would be taken out and if we knew about the experiments, we would have been much more scared of huggy back in chapter 1. LIke not as calm we would have been. What we were expecting? Yeah those monsters are completly friendly and arent probaly the reason this place must have shut down. Lastly if we were ,,evil'' per say, do you think Poppy or Kissy Missy would have ,,helped us'' ?

[@aina7310]

It's great to see a theory video of yours! That's what drew me to the channel to begin with 😊

[@xxsnake_godxx3490]

Honestly, I’m pretty torn over Rich either being the protagonist or 1006, when he’s working in the factory it gives him a motive to be either. Since with all he has seen he could be 1006 protecting the kids like with Theo before he became catnap. But equally he could have felt the regret of not doing anything and came back years later to visit the horrid memories within the walls…I hope it is revealed to us in a future chapter

[@Oparmy069]

Rich is 1006 since it makes more sense for mob games to tease the real identity of the main villan 1006 from the first game rather than our protagonist who seems to be an unimportant character

[@ethanbeiser9887]

Yeah, I agree. The Protagonist is most likely the unnamed head of production.

[@replacableVessel]

A good theory, but you shouldn’t treat it as a fact set in stone

[@darktrapv.1384]

I like ideas rich is 1006

[@parasitophobia]

I think it’s been somewhat implied that 1006 was around prior to playcare’s existence? as playtime co had two separate motives for having Playcare , aka the actual adoption program but also easy targets to experiment on. so since Rich was confirmed to be around for Playcare based on the tape in chapter 3, it’s a lot more likely that he’s not 1006 , and is either the protag, or someone with some kind of lore relevance we have yet to see, however that would be a bit confusing to pull off, so the best bet would have to be that he’s a protagonist type character due to the fact his tapes have been with us since chapter 1, prior to us even knowing that 1006 was a separate entity that wasn’t Huggy lol

[@parasitophobia]

@@ethanbeiser9887which could possibly still be Rich ! In previous tapes, we know he primarily works jobs related to production and Stuart , who’s his higher up (which could imply that Stuart was head of production ?) , literally tells him that he’s considering giving him his role once he retires . While we have no confirmation that he did get the role, the tape existing there in the first place and the criteria of the protag having to most likely be a high ranked employee as Mommy recognized him and reacted with malice makes it seem like he probably got that promotion from Stuart or a promotion of some kind .

[@ariamorgan7114]

Imagine missing the Hour of Joy because you called out of work 😂😂

[@Niko-qq2vr]

While it is a possible theory, there's something weird in Poppy's line on the third chapter that still bothers me a lot. I don't know if this is a way of the creators to not actually reveal the identity of the protagonist, but Poppy refers to us as 'them' when she saves us from Kissy. Now, I don't know why did she said that, but it's weird that if we are Rich she didn't said, 'Don't hurt him' and 'he's here to help', or not even refer to us as Rich at any point. It could be because she's reffering to the protagonist as us, the player. Other then that I don't know.

[@lukeybadookie4091]

I think it could be Stuart is the one we play as too though because he retired he could have survived, just food for thought but I do heavily believe we are Rich

[@Someone-b9i5w]

Game theory : Rich is prototype Shb : Rich is the player Me: Rich is Poppy

[@sherclopholmes6317]

...?!

[@Anthintendo]

Did Stuart’s VA change in an update? I remember him having more of an accent at launch.

[@randomkay7393]

I thought the same thing!!!

[@sullyboom6144]

Protagonist=Ludwig & Rich=Prototype and i will die on this hill, one who learned how to create deep down with the misfit toys & one who has to correct all of his mistakes lead along just to be betrayed by his daughter in the end would be one of the biggest twist in history

[@dafilmqueen556]

But Ludwig is established as dead to our knowledge, and he was alive back in the 30s (they mention a divorce in 1930). I just find it hard to believe that a man who was around in the 30s would still be alive today and capable of fighting for survival against hungry vengeful revenants without dying of a heart attack, and that’s assuming he could even be alive at that time while being an old guy..

[@saberibinothman5321]

It makes sense Sam sounds like he is always silent and our protagonist is always silence so make sense

[@e-exoticmeatheart]

you're the best youtuber fr ! not dawko, not anyone else, only you! and your voice is super calming and really good, even during the most tense horror game moments, and its just really cool, you deserve way more subscribers, and you're a genuinely nice person! wish you well, SHB!

[@DunpeilDueliest69]

Hey, I absolutely love this video, the mystery and the Lore behind Poppy Playtime is amazing and so scary and I absolutely love it. 😊 😊 Thank you so very much. ♥️

[@joshsmith9860]

Rich would have to be the prototype because he's always saving the kids after every ending. Maybe Stuart is the protagonist. If he wouldn't have given his position to Rich then Rich wouldn't have become the prototype and that's the guilt that haunts him. The reason Stuart wasn't at the hour of joy is because of his retirement. Him giving the position to Rich ruined everything.

[@ProfessorJayGaming]

Hope you’re doing well, Mike! Stay strong and keep up the amazing work!

[@IeuanEvans-x9m]

in my opinion Rich is the prototpe and stuart is the protaganist. This explains why the prototype is not hostile to us as we helped him get a promotion. Also stuart was important in playtime co so thats how all the toys know him. He wasnt there for the hour of joy as he was retired. Rich seems hostile and friendly at the same time both emotions preformed by experiment 0001.

[@Kaidhicksii]

While I would be surprised if it does turn out to be Rich, as per usual with all your theories, you certainly make a compelling case for why it might be him. It would make sense. This is not really a theory but more of a cool idea I want to share: last night I had a dream about the end of PP, or at least, how it might end. Long story short, Huggy, somehow still alive, in the flesh and not a hallucination like in Chapter 3, returned and chased me down in a scene very similar to Chapter 1, vents and all. I managed to get away into a small-ish dilapidated room with vines hanging down, found a VHS tape, played it, found out that it wasn't actually a recorded tape but a live message from none other than the Prototype himself, who revealed us to be none other than Leith Pierre. Then one last big chase occurred with Huggy and basically all the remaining monsters in the facility, including a few we hadn't seen yet such as the other Smiling Critters and other misc. fellas whom I didn't have time to get a good look at because as soon as the door nearest to me opened I was sprinting for my life with the boss music from the Seek chase in Roblox Doors blasting, until I managed to escape the factory. Now, I can basically guarantee that whoever we are playing as, it's not Leith, and obviously the Seek music won't be featured either, but if the end of the game were to be anything as epic as what I experienced in my dream, holy man: the adrenaline rush would be through the roof. :D

[@shaniceball9052]

4:17 Stuart has a different voice from what he had when I watched 8-BitRyan play Chapter 3 🤔

[@freddywilliams9837]

I'm currently thinking the main character is the missing head of security who ended up leaving out of resentment and has come back to finally stop everything.

[@TyrannoJoris_Rex]

3:42 I don’t necessarily think Sir Poopsalot being on the Chapter 2 tape means he made it. I think it’s just a representation of the Rejected Room with the most ridiculous thing in it

[@prototypedrakon9899]

I honestly think it's set up to be Rich OR Stella. Think about it, both have similar motives for leaving, both care for the children, both could have a guilty conscious for leaving. That way, it's ambiguous to who is returning, and the players can pick who's the returning party

[@Pls_hlp]

I love your videos and I got this video recommended to me 24 seconds after the upload of this video

[@Grey_Soul009]

Imagine if in chapter 4, one the toys just says “Why are you back, Rich?”

[@Girl-Supersonicboy]

In the 3rd tape of Rich, I preferred the older voice of the man talking with Rich. The new voice sounds a bit too young and not as sinister as the old one. Nitpick on my part, but idkw they changed the voice acting

[@marty_afton6786]

I like the connection here. It's possible it could be Rich, or it could be Stella. Stella worked with the kids and finding out what happened in the factory could cause her to have guilt.

[@Redmirax]

Rich is more likely to be The Prototype due to his hate towards to Playtime Co. Factory and its staff

[@nobleoxidation]

Wait, did Stuart's voice change in the update? His voice was much more heavily accented in your playthrough I thought and I liked that VA much more. That said, I have felt since chapter 2 that 1006 was Rich. I'm not sure if I agree with him being the protagonist, given how vocal he is, unless something has caused him to be physically silenced since the events of the Hour of Joy. Rich's anger and disagreement of the management fits significantly better to be 1006 than the player character. Rich worked in almost every department, he would know the factiry better than anyone and would be able to do things like tell a child how to get a grabpack and escape.

[@StarParticleShade]

Yes! They did change it. They changed /a lot/. They even changed the picture Kissy Missy holds...

[@cyn-i7q]

I think the protagonist, now this is just my theory, but I think the protagonist is Leith Pierre. I mean think about it! the phrase "guilt haunts you" is specifically pointing to who we play as. I dont think its Harley sawer because I think he parrished in the hour of joy, nor do I think its Stella because I believe Stella is kissy missy. and I DID have a feeling it was rich but upon more speculation I think rich was used for dog days bigger bodies. now it leaves us with one major figure Leith. he was the head of innovation, meaning scientific research. and there's no doubt that he knew what was going on there. idk its just my theory but great vid supper horror bro

[@sonofanarchydevils4352]

I was actually kinda thinking the same on how it's rich but I never thought you would do a video on the same thought

[@megdog1550]

I like the theory that Rich is Dogday (unless there's somewhere a kid became Dogday since it seems to mainly be kids) Dogdays cutout and show voice are much higher pitch than the dismembered one we saw. And it would make sense Dogday wouldn't be apart of this huge cult the prototype got going on.

[@BurningFlamesofDivineDragon]

I think that Dogday was one of the outspoken scientists. However, I don't think Dogday was Rich.

[@4DAT4]

I feel like the second dream sequence was implying that the protagonist used to be an orphan in the PlayCare before they grew up and got a job at the factory. Since the chapter 3 Stella tape seemed to suggest to me that the innovation department started to dramatically increase their experiments, hence taking a child slated for adoption. The protagonist was a child at the PlayCare before the conditions got too bad there and either was adopted or aged out of the orphanage. Afterward, they got a job at the factory of the company that helped take care of them as a child, only to discover how bad it had become. Perhaps the Prototype recognizes the protagonist as a former orphan, and that is why he hasn't directly attacked.

[@StarParticleShade]

I still think Rich is the prototype....and I think we play as a toy.... My kiddo pointed it out to me on a play-through and now I'm stuck on that theory. OR (and these are her words) "we play as you, mom - because you're really short" (I am under 5 feet tall, so yeah - good burn, my child. Good burn.). I think we play as an employee that got put into a toy and whoever sent the message knew where this employee had escaped to/lived with. It may be linked to Huggy who went to a house, too. More than likely to see his friend or an employee that got lucky and escaped in a toy box instead of being put in a BBI. Also two fun facts: Tom Schalk, the guy who did the voice for Elliot ludwig in Chapter 3, is actually the same voice actor that plays Gordon in MFN. AND - Nola Klop who plays Poppy and Stella, also does the System voice in Life Makeover! :o

[@xhncx]

A part of me can't help but think that maybe the player is supposed to be Stella Greyber. - She's one of the only characters that gets to appear in some way in all of the chapters so far (in VHS tapes in chapters 1 and 3, and as the Game Station announcer in chapter 2), an honor only shared by Rich, Elliot, Pierre, and that random unnamed scientist who talked about the Prototype back in the first two chapters and tried "comforting" Joseph when he asked where Kevin was. - During the hallucination sequence after CatNap takes the gas mask, we see very vivid memories of the shadows of children inside of Home Sweet Home and the school, two areas Stella would be acquainted with when the kids were still around as the Head of Playcare. - Notice the characters that specifically call out recognizing us: Mommy LongLegs (The toy in charge of the Game Station, which Stella was the announcer of), Miss Delight (The toy of the school, which Stella would be affiliated with as Head of Playcare), and Bubby Bubbahant (A Smiling Critter, a toy associated with the Playcare that Stella was head of). However, what really makes me call out Stella specifically is one of the VHS tapes in Chapter 3; "The Hartman Incident", where Stella is about to let two parents happily adopt a kid named Jeremy... only to find out the documents say the kid is "testing". When Stella finds out Jeremy isn't available, she not only gets confused, she also shows tones of distress and sadness as she realizes Mr and Mrs Hartman won't be adopting Jeremy. Despite her high positions head of Playcare and the Game Station announcer, she didn't know anything about the deeper workings of Playtime Co and its child experimentation up until the Hartman Incident. This heavily contrasts Pierre and the unnamed scientist, who both clearly knew about things the experiments... and both were completely unapologetic about what they do. Pierre literally once stared down CatNap (and even called him by his real name, Theo) and told him that the prison beneath Playcare was his home, and the unnamed scientist seemed pretty uncaring to Kevin on his tape in chapter 3. Stella didn't know anything about what was really happening to the children... and yet she still played critical parts in their inevitable dooms. She announced where they would head in the Game Station, where they would head to test their abilities to see if they would be worthy of becoming Bigger Body toys. She took charge of Playcare, where orphans would be kept until they end up getting whisked away to experiments right under her nose. And she didn't notice a thing. That type of thing is what fuels a guilty conscience. In fact, the Hartman Incident might be the reason why Stella wasn't present at the Hour of Joy. When Stella realized that terrible things were happening to the kids that were supposed to be under her care, she likely left Playtime Co so as to not associate herself with those awful experiments that she was unwillingly part of... right as the toys took control and slaughtered everyone. Mrs. Hartman put it best. "You're in charge of all this. How could you not know?"

[@Simbala-bq5vy]

This! I don't understand why you're comment doesn't have many liked but yes! It's well researched and it proves that we must be Stella!

[@willvo183]

I love your theories!

[@SuperLovelessgirl]

I'm not sure if the protagonist is or isn't Rich, but seeing how he's the only character to have multiple voice tapes shows he's definitely an important character to the story 🧐

[@ethanbeiser9887]

11:39 Playtime Co. Wouldn’t be ok with him just leaving, as he would’ve known about the experiments by then, and would try to expose them. Also, if you remember what happened to Rowan Stoll, who found out about the experiments and tried to expose them, only to wind up eaten by Boxy Boo, it’s unlikely that Playtime Co. would just let Rich quit and potentially try to expose them, they would probably have him killed or something. In short, Rich being the protagonist just wouldn’t make sense if you thought about it with that mindset.

[@andreaparedes1987]

What if the protagonist didn’t just leave the company, what if they got arrested by the police after Playtime Co. set them a frame them for a crime the didn’t commit and created other false accusations which gives the play a 10 year sentence in prison

[@ethanbeiser9887]

@@andreaparedes1987 there is literally no evidence whatsoever to support that theory. We know almost nothing about the protagonist other than the fact that they used to work at Playtime Co. and that they were involved with the experiments somehow.

[@RainbowTeddy9417]

That’s some deep lore you got there, Mike.

[@SakuraArts]

I like to think the player is Sharon. Good video as always by the way.

[@maximgames5377]

Amazing video as always,i love rewatching your videos and im happy to hear your awesome voice again ,i wish you luck and happiness

[@ethanbeiser9887]

It’s more likely that Rick is the Prototype rather than the protagonist.

[@Wailbouzidi242]

yeah i think the player is yet to be revealed as the head of production

[@riskopalfi801]

​@@Wailbouzidi242I personally think thag the Player could potentially be Stella.

[@ethanbeiser9887]

@@riskopalfi801maybe, but considering that Poppy refers to the protagonist with gender-neutral pronouns like they/them in chapter 3, it feels pretty unlikely (it also seems that Mob Entertainment doesn’t want to reveal their gender yet).

[@katrynanorth4718]

I personally think the protagonist is Stella Greybur. She’s been mentioned in all 3 chapters as well.

[@MadCatJervis]

I feel like Rich and Stella both have very suspicious character arcs that could lead to them being the protagonist

[@billthebear.7533]

I believe in this theory due to some facts, besides him being featured in these tapes he worked at the factory and Playcare, and Mommy long legs and Mis delight recognized him as a worker unlike Poppy, Kissy, Ollie and perhaps Catnap himself. because employees like him couldn't talk to the children, and Poppy said at the end of chapter 2 that she had never met anyone like the protagonist.

[@lonelytiger5011]

Oh I can't wait for the protagonist reveal. I'm so hooked on the lore just like FNAF😖

[@theadventurechu4546]

Oooh! I love those subtitles you added when showing stuff like the tape recordings with Rich! You should use them more often!

[@starchild199x]

Just a weird thing unrelated to the theory but... why did they replace Stuart's voice actor? His voice is audibly different from before. I preferred his accent, he sounded more mature like someone who was obviously ready to retire. The new VA sounds like Markiplier, and it doesn't fit at ALL.

[@graciet9882]

wow, never been this early! love your videos mike!

[@cassidy5944]

Honestly I think it's Stella graber because if the theory about her being poppy isn't true then I think she is truly the protagonist

[@queenr.s656]

Honestly if the protagonist was female it would be Stella but if male then it would be rich those are my two candidates for who the protagonist would be

[@cassidy5944]

@@queenr.s656 but then again the real reason is why I think it might be Stella is because of Mommy long legs basically telling the protagonist to die alone and it almost sounds like she was talking to a higher up employee also another reason as to why I believe it's her is because of that one VHS tape where she was talking to that family that wanted to adopt and That's when I start to think that the guilt is starting to haunt her is basically her realizing that The experiment process was going to be for all the orphans and not just a select few but then again that's just my theory and chapter 4 could prove me wrong

[@cassidy5944]

​@@queenr.s656 and there's even a few theories going around about Rich actually being the prototype

[@julissalyssa2764]

Oh I have been WAITING for this!!

[@strawberrrytoya6399]

love your vids!

[@mongggd]

Me to

[@KenKangethe]

I think Rich is the prototype and maybe the protagonist is Stauart . And Rich wanting to tie up every loose end calls him back to finally kill him . Probably because he doesn't want anyone who knows what happened with the experiments and all to remain alive

[@Dylan-cj5qr]

Thats quite interesting! I alwase wondered who Player is 😊

[@abdelali123soussane]

ty mr mike for making this video to keep us entertaning we dont know what is happening in ur priv life but we still supprot you

[@sbujdaszmovies6715]

0:00 Intro 0:48 Who is Rich?👷🏭 7:10 What We Know About The Protagonist🔎👤 10:27 Is Rich The Protagonist?👷➡️👤 12:29 Outro

[@Bell-gv2zv]

I know of a theory where Rich could be the prototype because in CH. 3 where he got one of the higher up positions and got to see the actual treatment of the kids. Due to his care of the kids, he tried standing up to the company, but ended up being experimented on by and turned into the prototype. its why he cares for the toys and when they can't be used, he kills them as some sort of mercy. Another theory is that this is a " Bendy and the ink machine" scenario where he just leaves the company and comes back a few years later. Kinda unlikely because the company does not let those with with "knowledge" of the company get off Scott free. (trying to put rick into the fallen letters by the slide didn't work for me)

[@ladiesman217sun-luc-dong5]

I think the protagonists name is Magnus Calvin and the reason why he doesn't work at Playtime Co. anymore is that he and some of his fellow coworkers didn't always agreed to the corrupted scientists evil ways, and as for the film adaptation I think that he should be portrayed by *The Meg & Fast And Furious* star himself Jason Statham.

[@GOD_Of_Ramen323]

You know it’s gonna be a good video when mikes signature music kicks in