Who are your favorite game mascots?

[Val the Moofia Boss]

You love them, right?

[rusty_shackleford]

the only western game mascot I can think of is claptrap

[Tweed]

heehoo.png

[Tweed]

the only western game mascot I can think of is claptrap

Here's your western mascot, bro.

blinx.jpg

[Oyster Sauce]

Would holocaust everything you posted

[Val the Moofia Boss]

What breeds such hate in the hearts of men?

[rusty_shackleford]

What breeds such hate in the hearts of men?

[rusty_shackleford]

It's interesting to see a major east/west divide here, however.

[Oyster Sauce]

What breeds such hate in the hearts of men?

I don't like infantile joke/toddlercon characters that worsen the tone of games or movies

[Manny V]

i'm not a fan of the cutesy childish **** either but Cha-Cha from MH3 gets a pass, he was a cool lil bro:

[GhostCow]

There is only one proper answer to this question

I still remember having schoolyard fights about Sonic vs Mario

[Tinky Winky]

What breeds such hate in the hearts of men?

I don't like infantile joke/toddlercon characters that worsen the tone of games or movies

This. It's only acceptable when the game is lighthearted itself or aimed for kids (like pic related). Otherwise they would all be brutally murdered in Happy Tree Friend's style.

[Acrux]

I don't know what any of those things are.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

Happy Tree Friend

Just looked up an episo-

Whyyy

[rusty_shackleford]

I think mascots are just associated with young children in USA, and therefore the only games not aimed at children with one are going to be subversions

[Tinky Winky]

Happy Tree Friend

Just looked up an episo-

Whyyy

How come there are still people who don't know about Happy Tree Friend these days? Anyway back to topic, my favorite vidya mascots are don chan from taiko no tatsujin (the one I posted above) and the mushroom from classic Maplestory, both are lighthearted kid-friendly games so they pass.

[rusty_shackleford]

I like this one

[J1M]

Does mascot in Japan just mean any cartoon character?

[rusty_shackleford]

Does mascot in Japan just mean any cartoon character?

I assume he means characters used in actual promotional material.
Prior to ~2015, you probably could just use a lot of main characters from western games. Cute women, jacked military guy, etc., Master Chief is a 'mascot'. Perhaps not in the same way OPs are.

Don't see too many of them anymore because ugly dysgenics don't really sell games, so… you get boring corposlop I guess?

[rusty_shackleford]

If I had to make a guideline for designing a mascot that could appeal to westerners, it would be to stay as far away from humanizing it/anthromorphic as possible. Could speculate as to why it doesn't do well(already have a bit), but I just think it won't.
Eastern mascots that do the best are more abstract or like animals(e.g., Pikachu)

Even among kids, I think this applies. How often do you see characters like Mickey Mouse anymore?

[J1M]

Does mascot in Japan just mean any cartoon character?

I assume he means characters used in actual promotional material.
Prior to ~2015, you probably could just use a lot of main characters from western games. Cute women, jacked military guy, etc., Master Chief is a 'mascot'. Perhaps not in the same way OPs are.

Don't see too many of them anymore because ugly dysgenics don't really sell games, so… you get boring corposlop I guess?

Agree with what you said, but that was a rhetorical question to tease the Japanophiles about how low they are setting the bar.

[Tweed]

How come there are still people who don't know about Happy Tree Friend these days?

nocountry.png

[A Chinese opium den]

Damning thread op.

[logincrash]

Does this count as a Western mascot?

da qoob.png

[KnightoftheWind]

GPU brands used to have sexy female mascots, once upon a time. Although I guess ROOOOSTY would consider both of these to be gay somehow.

[MrTwinkls]

Don't really like Asian mascots.

► Show Spoiler

[Jordy]

Does this guy count?

[Poityu]

If only they'd never made him open his mouth. He looks creepy when he does that.

[logincrash]

► Show Spoiler

Vault Boy is the best example of a Western video game mascot.

[Tangerine]

What breeds such hate in the hearts of men?

I don't like infantile joke/toddlercon characters that worsen the tone of games or movies

It's very offputting when a game is trying to have a serious moment and the game's obnoxious mascot attempts to be somber. It completely takes me out of it.