Console Mascots: Is There A Need For Them?

MS has Blinx? Since when? It always has been Halo's Master Chief as Xbox Mascot for decades.

But in any case, why does there need to be a mascot now? If there hasn't been one for 20 years, there's no need to start some gimmick.

There is no such thing as need. Its a mental construct made up.

@cainetao11: Sorry but i'm gonna have to disagree as the OP needshealing :)

Can’t take this post seriously when the OP skips one of the most iconic gaming mascot’s in history (Master Chief) for...Blinx?

Crash isn’t a sony mascot - hasn’t been...ever.

There is really no need for mascots, but if a popular character can be marketable, why not make him a mascot?

Umm yeah. Microsoft’s mascot is Master Chief. Anyway is there a “need” for them? Perhaps not but I like them so I think it’s cool for them to be around.

Sony's mascot is Nathan Drake I think.

Not even close.

There used to be more emphasis on mascots. More so the sega v Nintendo days it was crucial to attract new gamers.

Are you telling me that this is yet another cow alt from one of the usual cow clowns on here? I'm shocked! LOL.

They don’t need them...

But they each have them.

I always thought Sackboy would make a great mascot but, a mascot is not needed these days.

Mascots are fun, I like em.

Pretty sure the Blinx IP was up for renewal a few years back and MS didn’t bother to keep the license

Popular mascots are a really powerful way to sell your brand.

Nintendo has Mario and Pikachu (and Kirby, in Japan), and people can look at them and instantly associate them with both Nintendo and video gaming more generally.

Even Microsoft has Master Chief as its mascot, although he has faded into obscurity compared to where he was 15 years ago.

Sony has...no mascots of its own? It doesn't really have any strong gaming brands outside of the Playstation name, and...uh, Spiderman.

I guess Kratos might be Sony's most iconic character, but that's not really saying much - most casual gamers wouldn't recognize him, let alone the average person on the street.

Sony could have Nathan drake or kratos strange to think crash used to be the mascot in the ps1 days.

I don't need em. The system trademark is good enough to me. The little kiddies might like them. ;)

I've known the Nintendo trademark back in the Game & Watch days. Mario was late by then except to the young 'uns.

There's probably not a need and it probably is a mental construct, but I kind of like the idea of game systems having a mascot. I feel like all of the companies have kind of gotten away from that practice though, and that's fine too.

@Sevenizz: Crash was during the ps1 days, but hasn't been since then.

:P

Crash was definitely the mascot of the PS1. He hasn't been since then since now he appears on all platforms.

@storm_of_swords: Nope, it was never official.

Back in the PS1 days, I remember there being a debate over what was Sony's mascot. Many felt that Solid Snake or Lara Croft were Sony's mascot at the time... though that's clearly not the case in hindsight (Snake and Lara are third-party), thats what many felt at the time, because Snake and Lara were more iconic for the PS1 than Crash.

Blinx was explicitly intended by Microsoft to be the "face" of the Xbox brand -- he was plastered all over early Xbox marketing -- that is until his debut game bombed, and then Microsoft hastily switched to Master Chief.

Well I'll be. I didn't remember Blinx being Xbox Mascot, I did like Blinx, I thought it was a fun game but then again, I was all over on Halo CE so I hardly pay attention to whoever was Xbox Mascot but I guess it made sense for MS to switch for the Chief due to the game being the main attention on Xbox.

halo was a launch game for the Xbox.

@xhawk27: Keep in mind MS was new to the gaming world during Xbox arrival. I think MS was using both Blinx & Master Chief from what I can remember, but I just don't remember Blinx being the main push but I do know Blinx had a second game despite the first one flop.

Oh yeah. MS was trying to make their own Sonic. lol

Interestingly with PC it's essentially Steam (a piece of software) than a designed video game character or specific franchise.

For me? It's Windows. It greets me when I log in. It says bubye when I power down the PC.

I wouldn't say there is a need for them, but they are fun. Their presence doesn't hurt anything.

I think it's pretty clear master chief is ms mascot. Strange that Sony have many characters but none that completely stand as a mascot.

You idiot...Xbox OG launched with Halo, Xbox's mascot is Master Chief, and if it has to be something stupid and cartoony, then Xbox has Ori or Lucky, who are way cooler than anyone elses shit.

Fucking Sony doesn't have Crash, his and Spyro's games been on everything else since 7th gen. If anything Sony's mascot is Knack. However, I'd probably stick to that thing in astrobot or them weird looking things in Dreams.

Nintendo is a mascot.

Pretty sure Valve's mascot was Gordon Freeman.

Yes, but Microsoft never thought of Master Chief as mascot material. He was considered too impersonal and violent, and so they settled on Blinx as being soft and lovable and kid friendly.

For me it's Tux the Penguin.

In the early years, yes, but now Valve seems reluctant to admit that the Half-Life series even exists.

@davillain-: Huh? MS has been in gaming for years before the Xbox. Their Flight Simulator was extremely popular spawning multiple sequels and expansions. Age of Empires was developed and published by MS in 97’. They’ve even launched Gameboy games. MS DoS, and the Windows OSs launched many games by MS too. It’s been estimated that Minesweeper and Solitare have absorbed about a billion hours of game time.

MS: Mister Chef

Nintendo: Mario

PC: Gordon Freeman

PS: LMAO!

Disney doesn't need a mascot... but they won't ditch Mickey Mouse for anything in this world ... companies may not "need mascots" but i bet everyone wish they had a mascot as popular as Mario, Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Sonic, etc.

Theres a need for them, they add a face to the company. The general consumer doesn't know about the CEO's or whatever, but you add someone like the MasterChef they are easily recognisable.

@npiet1:

Yes it why Nintendo smart. However that as change somewhat with twitter and people now do know some of the heads.

PlayStations mascot is Kratos. God of War has had an original game on every system except PS1, Vita & PSVR. Crash, Little Big Planet & Crash cant say that. Plus all the special guest appearances on PlayStation games. Expect to see Kratos on PS5

That would be an awesome mascot!