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There is strong argument that games companies use mascots to sell games. A prime example of this is SEGA with Sonic, and Nintendo with the little Italian plumber Mario. There’s one thing we should note though, the two newest companies on the gaming market, Sony and Microsoft, don’t appear to have any mascots.
In the beginning there were two real competitors for the title of best console producer – SEGA and Nintendo. Nintendo had the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) SEGA had the Master System. Then Nintendo had the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and SEGA had the Mega drive. These quality consoles were topped off with an array of quality games from their console mascots. Mario was first on the scene. He was an old arcade character and Nintendo capitalised on his success of the cheeky Italian by bringing out lots more games with him as the star. Just as a not Donkey Kong was in fact the first Nintendo character, before Mario. Why isn’t DK as strong as Mario on the gaming front then? Perhaps Nintendo found that Mario was more popular and increased sales more than DK did? SEGA had something up their sleeve though, and it came in the form of a little blue hedgehog. In 1991 Sonic was born and people believed he was the only games character to rival Mario, and that’s probably still true to this day.
Along the way SEGA and Nintendo picked up various characters who tried to jump on the ‘mascot bandwagon’. Sonic teamed up with Tails and later Knuckles but SEGA haven’t really had any other major games characters. Nintendo on the other hand have totally milked the mascot success. There has been Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Samus etc. There have been lots and lots. The fact that SEGA and Nintendo use mascots may suggest something about the market they are aiming their games at. It could say that they are aiming at the younger gamer. The fact that Sony and Microsoft don’t appear to have any mascots may also back up the difference in these companies chosen age range. SEGA and Nintendo were first and they both have mascots, Sony and Microsoft were after and they don’t. Another argument may be to say that gaming has evolved from being a predominantly childish past time to an entertainment industry enjoyed by all ages.
People can make up their own mind but there is no two ways about it, mascots sell. Maybe Sony and Microsoft should take a leaf out of the ‘old boy’s’ books? Who knows what could happen in the future, maybe Bill Gates will become Microsoft’s new mascot? Like that’s going to happen…
Thanks for reading.
In the beginning there were two real competitors for the title of best console producer – SEGA and Nintendo. Nintendo had the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) SEGA had the Master System. Then Nintendo had the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and SEGA had the Mega drive. These quality consoles were topped off with an array of quality games from their console mascots. Mario was first on the scene. He was an old arcade character and Nintendo capitalised on his success of the cheeky Italian by bringing out lots more games with him as the star. Just as a not Donkey Kong was in fact the first Nintendo character, before Mario. Why isn’t DK as strong as Mario on the gaming front then? Perhaps Nintendo found that Mario was more popular and increased sales more than DK did? SEGA had something up their sleeve though, and it came in the form of a little blue hedgehog. In 1991 Sonic was born and people believed he was the only games character to rival Mario, and that’s probably still true to this day.
Along the way SEGA and Nintendo picked up various characters who tried to jump on the ‘mascot bandwagon’. Sonic teamed up with Tails and later Knuckles but SEGA haven’t really had any other major games characters. Nintendo on the other hand have totally milked the mascot success. There has been Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Samus etc. There have been lots and lots. The fact that SEGA and Nintendo use mascots may suggest something about the market they are aiming their games at. It could say that they are aiming at the younger gamer. The fact that Sony and Microsoft don’t appear to have any mascots may also back up the difference in these companies chosen age range. SEGA and Nintendo were first and they both have mascots, Sony and Microsoft were after and they don’t. Another argument may be to say that gaming has evolved from being a predominantly childish past time to an entertainment industry enjoyed by all ages.
People can make up their own mind but there is no two ways about it, mascots sell. Maybe Sony and Microsoft should take a leaf out of the ‘old boy’s’ books? Who knows what could happen in the future, maybe Bill Gates will become Microsoft’s new mascot? Like that’s going to happen…
Thanks for reading.
pop - vote chainsaw!
I just realised I spelt Sonic- sonbic! Lol! Anyway, yeah, could be.
or gill bates riding a flying x-box
Great post there. My favourite mascot had definately got to be Sonbic- he's cool!
Anyway, hmmm...Bill Gates mascot? heh- a rich bloke sitting at a computer. Maybe.
:)
Anyway, hmmm...Bill Gates mascot? heh- a rich bloke sitting at a computer. Maybe.
:)
there are meant to be the new established mascots
KR wrote:
> Sony have Jak and Daxter
i said proper established mascots, not one hit wonders of like 6 hit flops like crash
> Sony have Jak and Daxter
i said proper established mascots, not one hit wonders of like 6 hit flops like crash
Sony have Jak and Daxter
i'm talking about decent MASCOTS not just any old games character.
Sony do kinda have mascots what about Crash bandicoot :)
There is strong argument that games companies use mascots to sell games. A prime example of this is SEGA with Sonic, and Nintendo with the little Italian plumber Mario. There’s one thing we should note though, the two newest companies on the gaming market, Sony and Microsoft, don’t appear to have any mascots.
In the beginning there were two real competitors for the title of best console producer – SEGA and Nintendo. Nintendo had the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) SEGA had the Master System. Then Nintendo had the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and SEGA had the Mega drive. These quality consoles were topped off with an array of quality games from their console mascots. Mario was first on the scene. He was an old arcade character and Nintendo capitalised on his success of the cheeky Italian by bringing out lots more games with him as the star. Just as a not Donkey Kong was in fact the first Nintendo character, before Mario. Why isn’t DK as strong as Mario on the gaming front then? Perhaps Nintendo found that Mario was more popular and increased sales more than DK did? SEGA had something up their sleeve though, and it came in the form of a little blue hedgehog. In 1991 Sonic was born and people believed he was the only games character to rival Mario, and that’s probably still true to this day.
Along the way SEGA and Nintendo picked up various characters who tried to jump on the ‘mascot bandwagon’. Sonic teamed up with Tails and later Knuckles but SEGA haven’t really had any other major games characters. Nintendo on the other hand have totally milked the mascot success. There has been Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Samus etc. There have been lots and lots. The fact that SEGA and Nintendo use mascots may suggest something about the market they are aiming their games at. It could say that they are aiming at the younger gamer. The fact that Sony and Microsoft don’t appear to have any mascots may also back up the difference in these companies chosen age range. SEGA and Nintendo were first and they both have mascots, Sony and Microsoft were after and they don’t. Another argument may be to say that gaming has evolved from being a predominantly childish past time to an entertainment industry enjoyed by all ages.
People can make up their own mind but there is no two ways about it, mascots sell. Maybe Sony and Microsoft should take a leaf out of the ‘old boy’s’ books? Who knows what could happen in the future, maybe Bill Gates will become Microsoft’s new mascot? Like that’s going to happen…
Thanks for reading.
In the beginning there were two real competitors for the title of best console producer – SEGA and Nintendo. Nintendo had the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) SEGA had the Master System. Then Nintendo had the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and SEGA had the Mega drive. These quality consoles were topped off with an array of quality games from their console mascots. Mario was first on the scene. He was an old arcade character and Nintendo capitalised on his success of the cheeky Italian by bringing out lots more games with him as the star. Just as a not Donkey Kong was in fact the first Nintendo character, before Mario. Why isn’t DK as strong as Mario on the gaming front then? Perhaps Nintendo found that Mario was more popular and increased sales more than DK did? SEGA had something up their sleeve though, and it came in the form of a little blue hedgehog. In 1991 Sonic was born and people believed he was the only games character to rival Mario, and that’s probably still true to this day.
Along the way SEGA and Nintendo picked up various characters who tried to jump on the ‘mascot bandwagon’. Sonic teamed up with Tails and later Knuckles but SEGA haven’t really had any other major games characters. Nintendo on the other hand have totally milked the mascot success. There has been Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Samus etc. There have been lots and lots. The fact that SEGA and Nintendo use mascots may suggest something about the market they are aiming their games at. It could say that they are aiming at the younger gamer. The fact that Sony and Microsoft don’t appear to have any mascots may also back up the difference in these companies chosen age range. SEGA and Nintendo were first and they both have mascots, Sony and Microsoft were after and they don’t. Another argument may be to say that gaming has evolved from being a predominantly childish past time to an entertainment industry enjoyed by all ages.
People can make up their own mind but there is no two ways about it, mascots sell. Maybe Sony and Microsoft should take a leaf out of the ‘old boy’s’ books? Who knows what could happen in the future, maybe Bill Gates will become Microsoft’s new mascot? Like that’s going to happen…
Thanks for reading.