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The Decline of the Video Game Mascot

Posted by Zonk on from the get-hooked-on-the-brother-huh! dept.

Ant writes "Ryan Cullen, of Access Gamer, writes: "This is the beginning of a recent fad that I have noticed the past couple years. Lately it seems that the mascot video game character has declined in popularity. Names like Mario and Sonic, characters who were once able to make the video game world suddenly stop and pay attention, are now either shells of their former glory, or they are just not as huge as they once were. Why is this?""

6 of 144 comments (clear)

  1. Maybe... by brilinux · · Score: 4, Funny
    It is because everyone was intimidated by the best mascot ever from the best game ever:

    @

  2. Mario by DavidLeblond · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I remember when Mario was a somebody, but now Nintendo is insistent on putting him in every type of game EXCEPT a platformer. Lately they've put out a cart racing game, a golf game, an RPG and a tennis game. Then they announce "here it comes! another Mario game!" and what is it? Baseball!

    What happened to "Mario 128"??? Is Mario Sunshine the only thing us Gamecube players are going to get? Say it isn't so!

  3. Why no Mascots? by shawb · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'd say that mascots are declining because so often you don't see one character anymore. Recently games tend to be FPS, MMO or RTS which don't have the one ubiquitous character.

    The mascot's domain lay largely in the side scroller.

    --
    I'll never make that mistake again, reading the experts' opinions. - Feynman
  4. Well by Golantig · · Score: 4, Interesting

    They didn't start out as mascots, they started out as characters in a game which became so popular that they became synonymous with the hardware vendor they were created by.

    Sony's original IP is tied to their methodology of creating new markets which requires innovation in technology and is not character based.

    You could argue that Halo is synonymous with the Microsoft XBOX, but the faceless dude in a space suit wouldn't be recognised by many people outside of gaming circles.

    Pokemon is synonymous with the Gameboy for many kids. All their parents would know this too - they buy the shit.

  5. You forgot one by GuyMannDude · · Score: 4, Funny

    John Romero - Daikatana

    --
    watch this
  6. Not everyone is a college student. by Ectospheno · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I don't know why the slashdot crowd has such a hard time with this concept, but not everyone is like you and sometimes video game companies market to those people who aren't you.

    My daughter is in love with Mario. When she plays pretend the people at her tea party are Mario, Peach, and Luigi. She's in the age group that browses Nintendo's web pages and plays the little flash games they provide.

    Mario isn't any less popular. Polls exist which show that Mario is more recognized among kids than Mickey Mouse. What's changed is that you grew up and are no longer in the Mario demographic.