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Thread: What ended the video game mascot wars?

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    Insert Coin (Level 0) Bazoo's Avatar
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    First of all, some awesome points that I did not consider. Particularly the 3D case scenario, where you're really looking either in first person or behind another. That's interesting.

    I think it's also worth noting that, beyond Sega, Nintendo was the only to really "own" its IPs. Once Sony entered the race as the main contender, it was hard to really attach a name to it. Sure, Spyro and Crash were exclusives, but they weren't really "owned" by Sony itself, so they wouldn't appear on the console name.

    But then again, have you seen that one commercial with all the video game characters in it? Seems to denote some kind of mascot-ry.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    But then again, have you seen that one commercial with all the video game characters in it? Seems to denote some kind of mascot-ry.
    What commercial? Can you give some more details, or, better yet, embed a youtube video of the commercial?

    Oh, by the way, welcome to Digital Press, Bazoo!
    Last edited by treismac; 02-12-2012 at 10:20 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by treismac View Post
    What commercial? Can you give some more details, or, better yet, embed a youtube video of the commercial?

    Oh, by the way, welcome to Digital Press, Bazoo!
    I think he might be talking about the PlayStation Michael commercial

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdWkKKSckNk


    also my two cents about the mascot devotion dying. it was over saturated everyone wanted an animal, some games came out ok: sparkster/rocket knight, aero the acrobat

    and some just horrible: awesome possum or bubsy.

    hmm new thread idea

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    Crash Bandicoot Commercial with Nintendo
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTi5EaocGaY

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    Quote Originally Posted by VertigoProcess View Post
    I complety agree to this, how can you say master cheif isn't a mascot. I bought my 360 just cuz halo 2 was coming out...

    I know what you mean, but Master Cheif does not equal to the 360 what Sonic did to the Genesis in the early 90's.

    Sonic WAS Sega, the Xbox is benefited majorly by the Halo series but its night and day compared to how huge Sonic was for Sega back then.

    The series I would say that are still helped by having a "legendary" mascot is Zelda. Mario is still super popular, but that series doesn't seem to get people wet in the pants anymore like a new main console Zelda game does.

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    Since the NES days at least companies have striven to create characters they could milk into a franchise. On popular platforms this usually meant level editor quality sequels with the same exact gameplay plus a few things. More innovative companies might take the same characters and try them in a totally different genre (or new genre), but that rarely, or never, resulted in a cash cow.

    I think the whole Mascot thing was just bragging rights for Nintendo fans while they waited for the Super Nintendo and sort of window shopped at the Genesis. Sega had dozens of characters that more than filled that void in gameplay quality, but none of them had the entire gaming media hype their first game as some sort of system selling AAA title.

    This is exactly what happened with Grand Theft Auto III and Halo, and Mario/Zelda64, or even Street Fighter II World Warrior and Turbo on SNES (Mario World failed to propel the SNES in the same way).

    More recently the biggest nastiest cash cows tend to be multiplatform but are still obvious cookie cutter same genre franchises plus extras. If a system flounders in sales the company responsible will attempt to make a super wiz bang "AAA", and if they succeed they will milk it for all it is worth.

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    They never did. Just not all of them are cartoony plumbers and animals.
    Master Chief is one for Xbox. Kratos is for sony and trying to make Sack boy of little big planet one.



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    Quote Originally Posted by treismac View Post
    I'm fairly certain the post 16-bit video game era brought about the end of the mascot wars. What I was wondering is what was the cause. Your thoughts?
    With the PS1, there was a slow move to more "mature" gaming by a lot of companies. Mascots were still in the mist, but gaming grew in a lot of different directions.

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    Officially I would say when Sega dropped out of the console wars and sonic went multi-platform...thats when mascots died...Sonic VS Mario really was the whole mascot war...Sony tried with Crash, but it didn't sell systems.

    I would disagree greatly about Master Chief or Kratos being mascots..the age of mascots are long gone. Halo will sell microsoft systems regardless if MC is in the game or not. Same with GoW.

    But Nintendo announced that the WII U is launching with the All New Super Mario Brothers and it starred Mario & Luigi's cousins - Bob and Lorenzo then I don't think it would move any systems, or sell much. Face it..no one buys Sonic games to play only as Knuckles or Amy, they want to play as Sonic.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Genesaturn View Post
    no one buys Sonic games to play only as Knuckles or Amy, they want to play as Sonic.
    Now a days no one buys sonic games at all... haha
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jack7 View Post
    I think he might be talking about the PlayStation Michael commercial

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdWkKKSckNk
    Gaaaah. So cheesy.

    How about this? We all got older and the world got darker, and the marketing appeal of cartoon characters wore off, failing to appeal to the next generation of young'uns. I mean, do you even see cereal box "mascots" much anymore?
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    Quote Originally Posted by VertigoProcess View Post
    Now a days no one buys sonic games at all... haha
    Sonic 4 and Sonic Generations were both big hits, and the latter wasn't complete tripe.

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