370°

Mark Cerny Explains Why PS4 Probably Won't Have A Mascot

PlayStation 4 chief system architect Mark Cerny is arguably one of the biggest names in the gaming industry at this time, which is amazing considering his humble origins. The man worked on Crash Bandicoot after all, which went on to become the biggest franchise on the PS1. Now he's working on Knack, which looks to embody a lot of the same philosophies implemented in Crash. But is Cerny aiming to make Knack the official mascot for the PS4? For that matter, will the console even have a mascot?

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gamingbolt.com
sigfredod3850d ago

Game companys doesn´t create mascots, we the players do, nintendo never tought that the jumping character from donkey kong will become their "mascot" neither MS with halo, we are te ones who fall in love with a particular character thats how crash, spyro, ratchet etc became so popular, sony tends not to attach to much to a character each gen had like their own popular character

Abash3850d ago (Edited 3850d ago )

Kratos, Nathan Drake, Sackboy, Ratchet & Clank, Cole McGrath, Sweet Tooth, The Helghast, and Sly Cooper are all PlayStation mascots.

I can easily see Delsin Rowe becoming a PlayStation mascot as well and maybe even Knack

Lannister3850d ago

How will they ever make a Knack plush toy ? Maybe with fishing wire.

trouble_bubble3850d ago

Exactly. Why put all your stock in one icon when you've always had a dozen subbing in and out at any given time? Three strong lines in hockey will beat out one allstar forward with a weak defense, anyday.

jcnba283850d ago

Sony never had a mascot. If you showed a non-gamer a picture of any of those characters you mentioned they wouldn't recognize them. Mario is really the only mascot of gaming has.

Gozer3850d ago Show
P_Bomb3850d ago (Edited 3850d ago )

@jcnba
My kids instantly pick out the Sackboy plushies when we go through Toys'R'Us. They know the name already the same as Mario. Toy marketing definitely works.

Mario's in a league of his own though. Right place right time. The media helped make him an avatar of the entire videogame renaissance back in the mid to late '80s
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Misaka_x_Touma3850d ago

oh so casuals can recognize all of them. Just because gamers say those are sony mascots doesn't mean anything.

Sitdown3850d ago

@jcnba28
You didn't/don't see Sonic as a mascot?

ohiostatesman3850d ago

I don't think the PS4 games are good enough to warrant a mascot. No true system sellers like Halo or Mario.

shadow27973850d ago

I thought the PlayStation mascot was Michael?

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Kevin ButIer3850d ago

I like knack for this matter... just like crash and spyro... good times

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 3850d ago
Godmars2903850d ago

Need to tell that to Square, who shoved Lightning down many a fan's throat.

Ratty3850d ago

From what I heard, japanese gamers actually ask for more Lightning. SE has always been deaf(ish) to NA so it's not much of a surprise.

Magicite3850d ago

SE mostly cares about Japan and Japanese people really like Lightning.

Godmars2903850d ago

If JP fans like Lightning then they like buying $60 games then returning them a week later if not sooner judging by resell bins.

KnightRobby3850d ago

The shame is I don't even know the name of the Killzone 4 character. And that, in my opinion, is a failure. However, they do have Nathan Drake, but I always consider Crash to be the mascot of the Playstation. So...please bring him back in the form of CTR. I don't mind if it is a PSN game; just do it!

Hicken3850d ago (Edited 3850d ago )

The game's not out yet. NONE of them are out yet. It'd be different this were a direct sequel, but it's been years since KZ3 in Shadow Fall, and you're not playing ANY of the same characters. That said, the Helghast have always been the "mascot" of Killzone, anyway; no need to know the name, as it's always been about those iconic eyes.

Yes, there's Drake, and Sackboy as well. And Cole. And Nathan Hale. And Kratos. And any number of others, such as Sweet Tooth and Sly Cooper.

Sony doesn't own Crash anymore, and expect HUGE fees for them to try and buy him back from Activision. In other words: expect Sony to nix that idea.

AceBlazer133850d ago

Trust me it'll have a mascot. The public will choose their mascot.What's a PlayStation without a mascot?

Panthers3850d ago

Playstation has never had a mascot. Its had identifiable characters, but never one true mascot that carried from gen to gen like Mario, Sonic, or Master Chief.

Sony has a lot of different characters and I feel that its diversity is its mascot.

SquidBuck3850d ago

Two words, Polygon Man.

PickAShoe3850d ago

The mascot is you, the player.

HeyImBen113850d ago

What's the Ps3 mascott?
What's the PS2 mascott?
What's the PS1 mascott?

Yeah right... there isn't one like Mario and Halo where i would say BOOM this is playstation.

Godmars2903850d ago

PS3: Sack Boy, Nathan Drake, Cole MacGrath, Kevin Butler.
PS2: Kratos, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy X.
PS1 Crash Bandicoot, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy.

Among the gaming community there are tons of titles you can name which say - BOOM - there's Playstation, but the ONLY names you can bring up outside the community among the general public is Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. Halo wont register.

TheGrimReaper00113850d ago

PS3 : Nathan Drake
PS2 : O, thats tough. Sora? Kratos?
PS1 : Spyro or Crash (or tomba IMO)
I seriously dont care about mascots.
Just give me great games and I'll be all good.

PickAShoe3850d ago

No love for old Snake? come on, he is cool. remember OctoCamo? that was awesome.

LostDjinn3850d ago (Edited 3850d ago )

"Mark Cerny Explains Why PS4 Probably Won't Have A Mascot" - How is it that he hasn't worked out that he's the mascot for the PS4?

Edit: Woods for the trees thing I guess.

Omegasyde3850d ago

They should buy back Crash Bandicoot and have him as the mascot again IMHO. Sly could be a mascot, but he is a thief.

trouble_bubble3850d ago (Edited 3850d ago )

Drake's a thief too, yet he's their MVP this gen'. Crash is a dinosaur and hasn't moved software in years

Omegasyde3850d ago (Edited 3850d ago )

Drake's more a treasure hunter than a thief..Actually he's more of a mass murderer now that I think about it.

jivah3850d ago

Another Crash made by Naughty Dog tho?
I thought the first 3 were the best ones. And it lost me after that cause the switch of devs just messed things up and made things corny.. I think Crash would be awesome for the Vita tho

trouble_bubble3850d ago (Edited 3850d ago )

@Omega
LOL!

Heh, when they do make Uncharted 4, they should finally have him being tracked by interpol or a Caremelita Fox of sorts. With a bodycount like that, plus the trail of fingerprints he's left all over the world by touching every wall he's passed by, he should be caught soon :p

Myze3850d ago (Edited 3850d ago )

I don't know about mass murderer since 99% of the kills are self-defense (so just SOME murders, he's basically a saint). I do wonder when the bad guys are gonna take the hint that Drake is virtually a god in shootouts. If they want to stop him, they should drop a missile to finish him off so they can resume their evil ways in relative peace (in comparison).

P_Bomb3850d ago

Someone'll have to set him up and frame him to take him out. He was arrested and bailed out in Uncharted 2, but that was local news at best.

Nate's advantage is he does his fighting in the middle of nowhere. No one's gonna moan the loss of a few pirates and mercenaries. Heck, even us fans don't even know his real name or where he lives. Pretty good at living off the grid.

Anyways, definitely an important charachter for Sony. UC4 will be a console seller.

Tontus3850d ago

Drake's their MVP? Nope. Kratos is, he is significantly more popular and the GoW series is much bigger even without the mass bundling that UC has.

Crash is only a dinosaur because the IP was abandoned, if someone created a great Crash game nowadays it could be massively popular.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 3850d ago
TheGrimReaper00113850d ago

If they buy Crash bandicoot back and give the license to Naughty Dog, I will scream like a little girl that just her christmas wish.
I really want a new Crash Bandicoot game from Naughty Dog, like the classics.
I wouldn't need another game for PS4. Just Crash Bandicoot 4 .... and the last guardian .... and FF15 ... and Kingdom Hearts 3

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270°

Sony Files New Trademark Fuelling Knack 3 Speculations

Sony might be gearing to launch a new Knack game, a franchise that has had received quite a polarizing reception from the community.

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dualshockers.com
deleted753d ago (Edited 753d ago )

While I did actually enjoy the Knack games, and found the reviews overly harsh, I do feel 2 games were enough unless the series was revitalized in a major way. For me, that would be a new Knack game for PSVR2. With the increased hardware power, those HD particle effects would be pretty awesome, surrounding the player at times. Astrobot proved that platformers can be amazing in VR, so let's hope that's where they're going with this, if real!

_SilverHawk_753d ago

Hopefully sony makes a knack 3 because the previous games were amazing.

MoonConquistador752d ago

Knack was a few things, but amazing wasn't one of them.

TiredGamer753d ago

Agreed there. I went into Knack with the realization that it was a simple platform/brawler (i.e. something akin to a Crash Bandicoot style of simplicity). My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed the co-op for what it was. Fun to play in short bursts to take a break from the more serious fare out there. I haven’t played Knack 2, but my understanding was that many of the original’s shortfalls were addressed there.

jznrpg753d ago

Great idea . PSVR2 could make Lnack really shine like Astro Bot

MoonConquistador752d ago

Astrobot was a likeable character. Knack wasn't.

coolbeans753d ago

Translation: the next best game of all time is coming soon! Show me the money, Knack!

Army_of_Darkness753d ago (Edited 753d ago )

Lol! I have both knack 1-2. Second one is fun local co-op action, but to be honest, I don't care for a third installment. I'd rather have a new resistance game!

MoonConquistador752d ago

I'd rather have an enema than a new knack game.

A new killzone, resistance, motorstorm, driveclub or even a days gone sequel would be more welcomed than flogging any more life from the knack series.

badz149753d ago

speak for yourself!

bring it on, Sony!

coolbeans753d ago

There's been a Knack-sized hole in every gamer's heart since 2 came and went.

deleted753d ago (Edited 753d ago )

I completely read this comment wrong, but I'll refrain from explaining. XD

Edit - ah screw it... My heart can't wait for Knack to come into that hole for a third time!

deleted753d ago

@PS-Gamer-1986 Whaaa? You don't have a Knack hole? XD

PhoenixRoar753d ago

Surprised to see them continue this but considering how invested they are in the IP and the wider appeal, there must be some commercial sense to continue with a 3rd title

rippermcrip753d ago

My young kids love playing it. I don't know why all these older people are complaining about it.

jznrpg753d ago

I played them with my younger children and we had a good time .

Lexreborn2752d ago

This… my kids love knack probably more then other mascots. And that’s probably because that’s their generations mascot. It’s undeniable ps4 spoke to a lot of children the last decade more then other competitors that have only been in kids sight for the last 4-5 years.

My kids will flip if this news is real

lellkay753d ago

Both games were actually alright.

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120°

Top 10 Best Japan Studios Games

Alex S. from Link Cable Gaming writes: "Over the last 26 years, Japan Studio has delivered some of the marquee games for the PlayStation family of consoles and gave us some of our favorite gaming memories. So as Japan Studios sails off into the sunset, we wanted to dedicate a Top 10 article to the best Japan Studios games, ever."

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linkcablegaming.com
darthv721131d ago

Loved locoroco and legend of dragoon. Never played gravity rush or even ape escape but I heard good things.

ThePacemaker1131d ago

ICO and shadow of Colossus are the best ever.

270°

No More Memes: It's Time For Knack 3 On PS5

Beyond the memes, Knack is just a solid platformer that deserves a new home on the PlayStation 5.

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culturedvultures.com
lifeisgamesok1274d ago

I'd rather they make a new platformer IP. With Sackboy and Astro's Playroom PS5 looks very good for the platformer genre so far

SullysCigar1274d ago

Agreed. Astro Bot Rescue Mission is honestly one on the best platformers I've ever played. It took things to the next level and was a delight from start to finish!

That said, while I was happily laughing along with the "Knack 2 baby!" memes with everyone else, I have to say I was a bit shocked when they gave it out free on PS Plus and I actually played it...it was actually really enjoyable lol

And huge too. Really long, loads of replayability and upgrade trees, new powers, costumes, challenge modes...hate to admit it, but I'd be pretty pleased with a Knack 3 announcement now!

Relientk771274d ago

Also Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Balan Wonderworld, Crash Bandicoot 4 (probably), and Spyro 4 is rumored to be in development

PS5 is looking great for platformers

isarai1274d ago

I think it would be great if they rebooted it, keep the visual style, but change the tone of the story and voices to match. This game looks like it should have a semi mute protagonist with a silly professor and his rebellious apprentice. Instead knack sounds like a brainwashed soldier, the professor like an angry divorced dad, and the kid is such an average joe. And the story takes itself way too seriously, it's so clashing with it's art style

potatoseal1274d ago

Thye don't need Knack they got Sackboy. He'll kill it

ApocalypseShadow1274d ago (Edited 1274d ago )

It's time for Ape Escape PS5, Dual Sense Enhanced.

Give me that first. Then whatever.

GaboonViper1274d ago

Couldn't agree more, i remember the first time playing Ape Escape with the Dual Shock, great times, we need a PS5 version.

ApocalypseShadow1273d ago

Yeah. I didn't know a controller could do so much until that game.

MadLad1274d ago

It's really not.
The first really didn't deserve a sequel, and the sequel, itself, was nothing special.

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