You and Mii
Modern gaming systems have brought new innovation in graphics, game physics, downloadable content, and most interestingly, avatars. Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo each have different names for their virtual representations but each suggests a major shift in industry strategy. This contrast becomes instantly obvious when comparing the transition from industry-produced mascots to user-created avatars.
As an MBA candidate, I often lose myself in a sea of the latest business school trends. Only a return to a world before "synergy", "web 2.0", or "value-added" can remind me of the true power of the theory behind the lingo. I would suggest that mascots were the original avatars and that they were the first marketing tools used to develop social networks---long before "social networks" would win a game of buzzword bingo.
The Mascot as a Universal Avatar
Nintendo did not create the gaming industry but can be credited with saving it from near collapse in the early 1980's--all thanks to a plumber. This character, originally known as Jumpman, may be more widely known by his other name, Mario:
Mario became the definition of the everyman and evolved into a shared entertainment experience for millions. "Community", the holy grail of social marketing, is based on exactly that--a series of shared experiences. Mario, in his infinite simplicity, is a universal avatar. He is the virtual representation of very individual at home holding an original Nintendo Entertainment System controller.Sega Gets Blue, Edgy
Just as Mario was getting comfortable with his third epic, Sega launched its own everyman. Sega had competed with Nintendo during the 8-Bit console wars but its Sega Master System achieved only marginal success in America. In order to catch up to the new industry giant, Sega achieved first-mover advantage with its 16-Bit Sega Genesis and included a pack-in game, Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic was an advertiser's dream.
Compared to Mario, Sonic was faster, edgier, more colorful, and indisputably cooler by early 1990's taste. Sonic introduces the first characteristic of modern avatars: over-the-top escapism. Mario was universal in a way that Sonic was not. The shared experience--the avatar effect--was retained, however, thanks to phenomenal advertising and overall marketing strategy.
The Everyman's Friends
Both Mario and Sonic drove millions of units in game sales and each was soon given their own set of friends--Mario had his brother Luigi while Sonic had Tails. This again is an important transition in marketers' understanding of the importance of user identification with specific characters. Sonic's cast of friends seemed to stretch ad infinitum while Nintendo focused on developing Mario's cast with more depth. At some point, a gamer could guess a color and an animal and probably find a Sonic character to match their preference.
Mass Customization or "I Am the Everyman"
The newest generation consoles accelerated the devolution of the mascot and introduced mass customization to the industry. If mascots are drivers of shared universal experiences, modern mascots are individual customized experiences. Struggling to choose a character for tennis, bowling, racing? Choose yourself.
Marketing has crossed a line in the sand by ceding control of the experience to individuals (and enjoyed great commercial success) but has sacrificed escapism along the way. Universal characters are now background set pieces to the game engine in many cases and only serve as "legacy brands" driving sales.
Marketing a Modern Shared Experience
Now, after a long day at the business school cranking out spreadsheets or using my left hand to hold up my right for participation, I escape into a game of bowling only to watch my virtual self agonize over a 7-10 split. Would it be easier to watch Mario or Sonic fail? Perhaps, but in the meantime game developers and marketers must balance the attractiveness of avatars with the demonstrated value of universal experiences and escapism.
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