Mister Jack Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Nintendo is inarguably represented by Mario, and the Xbox is less officially represented by Master Chief, star of the Xbox's first major hit. The Playstation brand, though, seems to have mascot characters and franchises all over the board and people don't always agree on which one should or does represent the Playstation brand. So here is my question to you. Which Sony exclusive character should represent the Playstation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sindo Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I think it's better to not have a mascot. Shows that Sony has a good number a quality franchises. Though that can also be taken as Sony having no good franchises. So I say no one mascot, but a group of great characters. I would elaborate, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Don't think it has one. Wouldn't really count Master Chief for Xbox 360 either. If it were to have one, they'd probably want Sackboy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I guess what Sindo is trying to say is that Playstation doesn't have itself tied to any particular character. And therefore isn't tied down to producing those games starring that character and thus can flex itself a bit on the sort of 1st party titles it makes. Whereas Nintendo will always have Mario, and yeah it works out very well for them. But means everything else is on a lower plane. And Microsoft have Masterchief and well..... He's dead and the studio who made him work for Activision. Sony are quite into their 3rd n 2nd party work too, so I think for them having a mascot to push above all others would be detrimental to the relationships with other studios. (see Nintendo ) I'd say Naughty Dog are the Playstation Mascot makers. Crash for PS1, Jax n Daxter for PS2(...maybe) and Nate Drake on PS3. Crash was very 90's, all bright colours n such. A platformer in 3D showing off the jump that 5th gen provided. I think it was kinda heavily marketed then as the Sony alternative to Mario n Sonic. Jak not so much I guess. PS2 I wouldn't be so sure to say on a mascot. PS3 NAte n the uncharted games line up very well. It's a semi realistic looking game, which is what they wanted to showcase with 7th gen. No silly bright colours n stylised looks, this was the power to make photorealistic places n people. It was a more fleshed out character, showing the mature audience they were aiming for. Movie like storyline for the blu-ray stuff. So yeah I'd say SCE has no mascot like Nintendo n MS have. But the individual consoles kinda do. And at the moment Nate Drake and the Uncharted series are their flagship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I wouldn't say MC's a mascot though. It's not like they're producing racing games or whatever with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strangelove Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Well, there is Halo Wars..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Jack Posted January 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I don't think it'd be a stretch to say that a lot of people bought Xboxes for Halo, though. Something else to keep in mind about Sony is that Move game they're publishing featuring characters from Jak, Sly, and Ratchet. So even if they aren't tied down to one specific character, they certainly aren't ignoring their marketability. There are more than just those three of course, but it's the first example that comes to mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Sure, they're selling Xboxes off Halo but I don't think it's always based off the character alone (ODST, Halo Wars, Reach). I don't think a mascot can come from an M-rated game either. If you look at Nintendo, they've got Mario all over the place and in branding. Sony and MS don't really have this. Lately, it seems MS are pushing their 'avatars'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Showmeyomoves! Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Yeah, a mascot needs to be a lot more iconic than someone like Nathan Drake, the quintessential everyman (okay, maybe he's a bit more adventurous). Sonic and Mega Man are iconic. Maybe even Solid Snake and Lara Croft. I would consider Sackboy to be Sony's mascot, but it might be a bit too early to tell since he's only had one game out so far. Maybe Kratos? He seems to be popular with Sony fanboys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Jack Posted January 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Keep in mind this is just a sharing of personal opinion rather than predictions on any actual course of action Sony would take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Meh. Kratos is kinda one dimensional (then again...) He's not appealing, that'd be the one. MArio n sonic are loveable. Drake n MC you'd drink a few beers with. Kratos...not so much. Sackboy I think they'd aimed to. But they'd of had to have made MNR as LBP:Racers and made those sackboy teddies n put em everywhere. Lara Croft is certainly one of PS1's mascots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 (edited) Keep in mind this is just a sharing of personal opinion rather than predictions on any actual course of action Sony would take. We can't have predictions of our own, ie. opinions? ...or are you secretly trying to cover that you work for Sony?! Edited January 1, 2011 by Hot Heart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Showmeyomoves! Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Yeah, but the Tomb Raider games were also on PC. I think that disqualifies it as a console-specific mascot. I really think Sackboy has the most potential as a mascot. He's recognizable, lovable and fit for all ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I really think Sackboy has the most potential as a mascot. He's recognizable, lovable and fit for all ages. Exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I really think Sackboy has the most potential as a mascot. He's recognizable, lovable and fit for all ages. Exactly. Just with the problem that Sony don't whore him out as much as Mario is. Sackboy is a bit over 2 years old. By that point in his life Mario had already starred in like 10 games. Sackboy needs more games, genres, cameos and should be on every street corner every night wearing fish tights. GAME should have a big stand with "15 years of Playstation" and a smiling sackboy on the forefront. He has the potential to be a mascot, but not the marketing. Also I'll throw this out here as it shows kinda quite well the varied 'mascots' they've acquired: http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=61035 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Jimmeh Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I saw this topic, and this name that came to mind was Crash, but he hasn't been applicable since the PS1 days. My next thought was Kratos, as he's had good games on the PS2 and PS3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Just with the problem that Sony don't whore him out as much as Mario is. We're not saying they have to (maybe they don't want to). Sackboy just has a lot of potential. The early days of Nintendo are very different to the current climate, or when the PlayStation first arrived. Sony does well to emphasise the various characters and types of games it offers and it's kinda too late to start trying to brand everything with a particular character anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 This is the closest they'll have And it's not very mascot like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Jack Posted January 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 (edited) Facebook and RSS icons are indeed not very mascot-like Oh ho, you fixed that one fast. Edited January 1, 2011 by Mister Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I do hate that it's not until you hotlink an image that it'll warn you if they don't want you to do that. It'd be nice if it came up blank on the google image search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 'Hey, guys, it's a P-Snake' 'A what?' 'P-Snake' 'Umm...' 'He's a multicoloured snake thing that has a P for a head and can look like a PS' 'Yeah...we're not gonna go with that...just keep the letters.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Jack Posted January 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Yeah I hate that too. If you don't want your images hotlinked, just don't have them come up at all. Don't be dicks about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toshi Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I believe Crash Bandicoot was their mascot back in the PS1 days, but then he started to lose popularity and Sony slowly over time began to move on from mascots. There probably isn't one now... but if I had to pick one I agree with most sentiments and say Sackboy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewblaha Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 You can't have someone who says "dicking around" and a guy who murders thousands of aliens be your mascot. Mascots just don't exist nowadays for Microsoft or nNintendo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudkip3DS Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I am absolutely, positively shocked at the number of people who do not know of Sony's mascot in Japan: Toro. Freaking 井上トロ! Lack of knowledge of トロくん makes me want to cry. CRY. (Yeah, I know that there's probably a reason why he's a Japan-only, probably because he's too CUTE for the MANLY PlayStation/Xbox audience over here!! But really, I think it's because he probably wouldn't fit into American tastes; he looks a lot like a "mascot for the kiddies" to me.) I concur with Toshi here. I think a perfect compromise for a mascot here would be Sackboy, as he stars in a well-known game, making him more well-known in effect, in contrast to Toro-kun, who only made his living via weird advertisements and 2 weird Japan-only games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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