All of the consoles seem to have a mascot, but what would work for the PC?

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Wanted: PC Mascot

What character do you instantly think of when a stranger off the street says, "Nintendo"? It is probably Mario. What about Sega? Sonic the Hedgehog. Playstation? Crash Bandicoot. Console systems and most of the companies that develop games for them are good at spawning mascots. PC’s haven’t been so fortunate. Someone says "PC" and you think about whatever game you’re playing at the moment. Developers for the PC haven’t put any effort into creating mascots. LucasArts had a quasi-mascot for a few years in the form of Max (of Sam & Max fame) but other than that there aren’t any memorable examples. The mystery remains, why don’t they have mascots?

Having a mascot makes your product instantly recognizable. Retailers often display large console game characters over their electronics and games section. A big Mario can mean only thing: Nintendo games! There isn’t anything comparable for the PC. If the PC industry could put their heads together and come up with a good roster of mascots, which they marketed aggressively, more PC games would be sold. It’s in their best interest to co-operate on this project. Consoles are getting a bigger piece of the gaming market simply because they have recognizable mascots. (Okay, so there are other mitigating factors but I still say that mascots play a huge role.) Console mascots tend to be cute and cudley. PC games lack cute mascots, instead presenting shotgun-toting, muscle-bound, big-chested women that would just as soon decorate the walls with your brains as look at you.

That being said, I propose the following five characters to be put on the mascot roster:

Gordon Freeman

If you own a PC you know who Gordon Freeman is. He’s the nerd turned Rambo-eqsue one-man wrecking crew found in Half-Life from Sierra. The bright orange HEV suit would definetely catch the eye of gamers. And the "l " symbol exudes cool in a Greek way.

Orc grunt

There’s a good chance that you’ve played WarCraft, or at least heard of it. Animatronics would have to be employed to achieve the best effect. Have him swinging his club, shouting, "Zug, zug," just above the RTS area.

Murray the Skull

Curse of Monkey Island brought to life one of the most hilarious characters in a PC game. His size is perfect for retail displays. He could sit on the shelf and laugh maniacally at shoppers.

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Doom soldier

When Quake 3 Arena was released there was a collective "yes!" from gamers who had fond memories of fighting demonic hordes in Doom. Included in the character models was the soldier from Doom. The Doom soldier would make an excellent end display. He could hold the shelf with the latest releases.

Newbie Sim

The Sims is one of those rare games that seems to appeal to members of

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both sexes across a wide age range (critics included). The family everyone has encountered is the Newbies. Bob Newbie, his beer gut and all, should be suspended from every electronics store ceiling. He should also be eating a slice of pizza.

It’s only a preliminary list but I’m sure you’ll agree that they all scream "PC!"

But where’s Lara Croft? Duke Nukem? Roger Wilco? The Avatar from Ultima? Some characters just don’t work well as mascots. Duke Nukem has a bad boy reputation and he’s had too many games appear on console units. Same goes for Lara Croft. (And besides her breasts would cause too many displays to be toppled by oogling shoopers.) But Half-Life has been ported to Dreamcast, you say? Well, Gordon Freeman’s been around on the PC for over two years, won just about every Game of the Year award for the PC and hasn’t wavered in popularity. There’s no doubt that PC game players will always remember him. The Avatar’s last appearance really sucked so he’s out. Roger Wilco has been buried and newer gamers wouldn’t recognize him.

PC companies should strive to appeal to a wide audience not just horny male teenagers, which is why I suggest the above roster. (Unless you happen to really like Orcs.) Characters are mixed in a way to appeal to everyone while at the same time making the PC game section stand out from the console section. And if the PC industry can’t come together on this issue, individual developers should create their own mascots that will make their products recognizable to the buying public. A high-tech logo just isn’t enough!

Besides, I’m tired of seeing all the cute console mascots at Toys "R" Us.

By Omni

"My brain is like bologna. Meaty, but not the real thing."


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