A video game mascot is a mascot that is used by video game companies to promote both the company and their specific video game series and franchises. [1] Video game mascots are sometimes considered to be similar to those at sporting events, with larger-than-life animals, such as Pikachu or Crash Bandicoot. [1] However, some video game mascots, especially modern ones, are more human, such as Nathan Drake or Lara Croft becoming a series mascot.
There are few rules surrounding which characters are considered to be mascots for a series, but they are generally those that are featured highly in the promotional media for the game, and are often those that are known outside of the game platform. [2] Many video game mascots have transcended their original video game series and have been promoted across multiple games and platforms. [2]
It was originally announced that the PS VITA (and later PlayStation 3) version of Street Fighter X Tekken would add Cole MacGrath from Infamous and two of Sony's mascots, Kuro and Toro, as exclusive characters only on PS3 and VITA, and Microsoft fans were left wondering if they could expect a similar surprise.