Console Mascots Aren’t Dead; They’ve Just formed Teams and Evolved

In a day and age of console exclusives being decided on money and attention, it is important to note the landscape has in fact changed. So now the company exclusive titles have to share space. Sony has Knack, Uncharted, infamous, and KillZone; to name a few. But that space is shared with games that tout exclusives like Destiny, which provides players with timed exclusives for certain weapons and add-ons. Sometimes the entire release is on the other console for a period before anyone else can get it. The same can be said for Microsoft’s Xbox One, and Nintendo’s Wii-U and 3DS consoles. Although the latter has their own legendary stable of mascots that just don’t die, as evident with the new line of Amiibo toys featuring those mascots. Which really proves my point even more.

Take Nintendo for example, has a great video game foundation in the world, and always has its share of fans. The problem is as the other companies started to go to war over whose console performed better and blah blah blah; Nintendo said “OK, we will do something different”. “Let Sony and Microsoft fight, we remember this crap with SEGA, it cost a lot of money.” You know something of those words rang through executives ears at Nintendo during the Nintendo 64 era, which was already different than its predecessors due to the use of cartridges. But in those years since, the landscape started changing. Mascots didn’t sell consoles anymore, this new kind of “gamer” was born, and my, did it shake things up.

These new-age gamers would play for honor, glory, and prestige in what was becoming the online realm. Gaining the ability to take that overly competitive style online and brag, frag, and tag everyone out there. Pioneers like Unreal Tournament, Team-Fortress Classic, and Counter-Strike ruled the PC landscape.

Well these gamers changed the way games were sold, distributed, and developed. Now the gaming industry wanted change, and it evolved into this online monster by the time the Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 released. So now Nintendo is still doing their own revolutionary thing with the Nintendo Wii; a motion-controlled interface that woke up a whole new generation of gamers by itself! But the other two big companies; Sony and Microsoft, just got started. By now games like Call of Duty ruled the shelves alongside Halo, Gears of War, KillZone, and every other shooter out there. Now comes the competition. At this point is when I think marketing began to change. By focusing on “What can our console do theirs can’t?” Both companies have expelled a lot of cash, and alienated a type of gamer known as casual. How do we bring them back?

Now we have brought ourselves closer to today. Gone is the day where “Crash Bandicoot represents Sony”, while Master Chief is Microsoft’s claim. Mario with Nintendo, Sonic with SEGA, and so on. These casual gamers are saying “Hey, we want more than one great game.” and the focus on building stables alongside the competition was born. The Microsoft Xbox 360 did a great job of helping these gamers reach each other, even online, with their profiles on Xbox Live. The casual gamer had a home separate from the now referenced “hardcore gamer”. Microsoft for example knew that by now they had to focus on both. And with the release of the Xbox 360, no matter how hard they tried, it still made the shooter shine. So the “casual gamer” started to feel jilted. Kameo? Tony Hawk? King Kong? Oh, and sports games. Yeah, I felt great to be a “casual gamer”. Now we all know things blossomed when games like Fable II started releasing, but it was a slow start. And Sony’s side with the PlayStation was having its own set of issues getting off the ground because they focused on things mutually supporting every kind of gamer. It turned the so-called “hardcore gamers” off from the console because they always had to play games with “noobs” and so the line was drawn… Again.

Needless to say, everyone over the age of 15 right now knows what I am talking about, it was bad. Throw in Sony’s online issues, and oh man, was it rough. However, by then as the line was drawn, characters were placed at the line. And as time told, this generation needed a new batch of heroes; mascot’s for the brand.

Sony had Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Kratos, Solid Snake, and Lara Croft; in addition to various other recognitions like KillZone’s Hellgast, and exclusive baseball great, MLB Baseball: The Show. This showed diversity near the end of the PlayStation 2. Add games like S.O.C.O.M. Navy Seals, Call of Duty, EverQuest, Final Fantasy, and it really seems like the generation never ends (did it really ever end?). So now the next generation comes and things get shaken up. I won’t play it out for you, you all know how it ended. PlayStation 3 becomes

a niche console in a generation ruled by Microsoft and the Xbox 360. It was slow going, but ultimately reign supreme due to online, and availability to program for since it ran like a PC. Games like Halo, Call of Duty, Gears of War, Fable, Assassin’s Creed, FarCry, and Dragon Age, all became immortalized because of Microsoft’s Xbox 360. Wait, weren’t most of those games 3rd party?

That’s right, so now we fast forward to today where the argument still stands among “hardcore” gamers, but if Titanfall on Xbox is any indication, the gamer has changed sides. So once again, the “hardcore” has shown no allegiance to anyone, they want their competition. And now another line is drawn. With characters like Lara Croft from Tomb Raider earning her reboot success because of Microsoft’s Xbox 360, now an Exclusive for the Xbox One. We see Sony has evolved their stable with characters like Nathan Drake of Uncharted (Sony’s answer to Tomb Raider in my book). Joel and Ellie from The Last of Us, Cole from infamous, and so on. These new characters have lined up alongside Kratos and company from the last generation. One thing Sony did however, was provide a platform for budding developers and niche favorite to have a home, so there is a massive following of niche gamers by this time.

And now we have PlayStation 4, the back of the console box initially teased games from 3 years ahead of launch. Elder Scrolls Online, Destiny, and infamous; all games that weren’t even released at launch! I waited, and was the wait worth it. Those are new characters, some standing on one or another. The beauty of all of this is the “casual” gamer now stands alongside the “hardcore” gamer in many aspects. And many games, like Mortal Kombat have feet planted firmly in the ground of each camp which is why certain games are developed regardless of console. Some just don’t care. However, others do, since the fan base moved sides, fighting game mega-franchise; Street Fighter has decided to lower its Xbox flag in favor of Sony’s PlayStation 4, naming itself an exclusive to rock 2016. Add Sony’s own Bloodbourne to the list alongside many great games this year, and it is hard to see through the difference in each line anymore. They look more like teams; shooters, adventures, sports, etc. And while some games, like Mortal Kombat choose to sit this one out, there are plenty willing to stand for each side. The diversity today in franchises between consoles helps each company reach their fans. Many gamers are starting to see less of whose color is on it, and more of whose games are on it. The line is drawn… Again.

So by now, you probably have dream teams in your head from your favorite side. Want to discuss it? Jump on Twitter @TheDesolate_9 to sound off on some constructive conversation. Want to be a fan boy here instead? Sound off, in the comments and upcoming forums. Please be considerate, don’t be rude, and be cool.

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