Forum > Gaming Discussion > Mascot Characters: Is it impossible to create a new successful one these days?
Mascot Characters: Is it impossible to create a new successful one these days?
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Tue, 01 May 2012 18:38:49
+1

Can you think of many this generation?

I mean characters like Sonic and Mario, Rachet etc.

Is it possible to create a new  a new successful one in the current gaming climate of guns, sci fi and mature games? Does a mascot character have to be in some portable or download or iOS game to suceed?

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Tue, 01 May 2012 20:18:29
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Groose will become one. If there is any justice left in the world.

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Tue, 01 May 2012 20:49:25
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I know this is about videogame mascots but ... I would just like to say that the London Olympics mascot is the worst mascot in the world ever.  I don't think I have ever seen anything near as ridiculous or hideous.

Copying the thing from Monsters Inc ... meet Wenlock and Mandeville

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Tue, 01 May 2012 21:10:46
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Sackboy was this gen.
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Tue, 01 May 2012 22:57:00
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Dvader said:
Sackboy was this gen.

I'd rather go with the Viva Pinata characters before Dullboy. But all things considered, I'd say those angry birds are the real mascot of our generation.

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Tue, 01 May 2012 23:09:43
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SteelAttack said:

I'd rather go with the Viva Pinata characters before Dullboy. But all things considered, I'd say those angry birds are the real mascot of our generation.

No iOS garbage will ever be a mascot for anything.

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Tue, 01 May 2012 23:15:57
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Hey I don't like them either, but a staple of a successful mascot is its ubiquity, not the quality of the games it has been in.

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Tue, 01 May 2012 23:31:07
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The Angry Birds are the mascot of mobile games. No question about that. I don't really identify them with traditional gaming though.

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Wed, 02 May 2012 01:28:44
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I prefer modern mascots like Kratos and Master Chief to most of the kid-friendly cartoon characters of past generations. Happy

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Wed, 02 May 2012 01:30:17

You know who the real mascot of this gen is? Mii.

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Wed, 02 May 2012 01:35:21
robio said:

You know who the real mascot of this gen is? Mii.

Ewww!

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Wed, 02 May 2012 02:31:28
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Ravenprose said:

I prefer modern mascots like Kratos and Master Chief to most of the kid-friendly cartoon characters of past generations. Happy



Because children hate futuristic soldiers and manly men that can kill gods...

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Wed, 02 May 2012 02:42:25
+1
As gaming has matured, along with the audience I don't think mascot characters are seen as an effective device.
Edited: Wed, 02 May 2012 02:51:33

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Wed, 02 May 2012 02:43:35
Foolz said:

Because children hate futuristic soldiers and manly men that can kill gods...

I never said kids didn't like them, only that they aren't "kid-friendly".

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Wed, 02 May 2012 02:56:43
Gotta go with Angry Birds as being the big mascot of this gen. I swear I see about twenty Angry Birds shirts at school every day.
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Wed, 02 May 2012 03:07:07
Ravenprose said:

I never said kids didn't like them, only that they aren't "kid-friendly".

How they are not "kid-friendly" if kids love them?

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Wed, 02 May 2012 03:42:31
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Think of mascots like logos.  They are simply designed and distinctive.  Now that games are much more visually complex and rich, simple designs are very rare.  Look at Pac-man, then at Alan Wake.  Realistic characters aren't iconic.

Even with more complicated characters, at the core the design should be basic and identifiable like this:

Minimalistic game characters

If you're making LA Noire, it's nearly impossible.

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Wed, 02 May 2012 05:44:41
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I don't see a need for mascot characters anymore.

Most of the better mascots over the past decade or more have been more mature characters though, like Raziel and Kain, Master Chief, Kratos, etc. Hell Lara Croft was the Playstation mascot for awhile Despite also appearing on the Saturn and PC.

But the days of having a mascot as a face of a piece of hardware or company as a whole seem to be gone, replaced by full IP's and game universes like Mass Effect, Elder Scrolls, etc. The mascots that endure are the ones who have been around a long time, and they're only relevent because of their legend and the fact that they're in a franchise based on great gameplay. Except for Sonic.

Edited: Wed, 02 May 2012 05:55:05

         1200923.png?77682175

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Wed, 02 May 2012 18:25:44
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Dvader said:
Sackboy was this gen.

I said successful.

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Wed, 02 May 2012 21:11:22
gamingeek said:

I said successful.

Do you live in an alternate dimension  where LBP is not a big seller? Nyaa

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