Got news?   tips@destructoid.com  |  Never miss a story:   RSS + Twitter + YouTube
Hey! New here? Destructoid is a gaming discussion community, updated nearly every 20 minutes. Make a quick avatar to comment and enter our contests. Take the tour!

 


Home Adorable updates

Sony wants Sackboy to be the face of PlayStation 3

4:48 AM on 08.13.2008, Jim Sterling 37 comments

Sony wants Sackboy to be the face of PlayStation 3 photo
     Adorable

If there's one thing Sony's lacked since it started the PlayStation brand, it was a viable mascot. Back in the day, it looked like Crash Bandicoot would have the honor, or maybe Lara Croft, but no character ever felt truly representative of Sony's hardware in the same way that Mario did with Nintendo, Sonic did with Sega and even Master Chief does with Microsoft. However, maybe with LittleBigPlanet and Sackboy, Sony has found its ambassador

"We want LittleBigPlanet to lead the charge into a new genre of gaming and turn Sackboy into the next emblematic character for the PS3," stated LBP marketer Mark Valledor. "We have coined 2008 'the year of the PS3', and are confident that with the launch of LittleBigPlanet we will continue to see the momentum build throughout the end of this year and on to the next ... This is a very big title for us."

It was obvious that Sony had a gold mine on its hands when it introduced the endearing and adorable characters of LittleBigPlanet to the world. Unlike the brooding and vicious Kratos, these clothy sack creatures appeal to nearly everybody with their wretched cuteness. It's no surprise that Sony views the characters as ones that could promote the PlayStation 3 brand. 

Up until now, the PS3 has had a very cold, faceless "we are pure technology and you will obey" public image. LittleBigPlanet should help make the entire system look far more friendly and help shift some units in time for Christmas.


Next page: More PS3 stories




moshakirby's Avatar
moshakirby at 08/13/2008 05:16
Sounds like an ideal choice, what with all the dress-up abilities of Sack Boy
Justice's Avatar
Justice at 08/13/2008 05:20
Great choice for a mascot, methinks, Sony could do with a change of image from that cold heartless one.
randombullseye's Avatar
randombullseye at 08/13/2008 05:33
Don't they realize that sack is a slang word for coin purse?
-PL-'s Avatar
-PL- at 08/13/2008 05:39
Sony might as well integrate the sackboy customization into PS3's firmware and make it Sony's version of Miis. At least it would be a bit more original than MS's avatars. I would have put a dollar sign for the S in MS, but it's not 1996 anymore.
DV2FOX's Avatar
DV2FOX at 08/13/2008 05:47
sucks i guess ^^;;
wardrox's Avatar
wardrox at 08/13/2008 05:59
BallsackBoy
Too Much Coffee Man's Avatar
Too Much Coffee Man at 08/13/2008 06:45
@randombullseye

your comment reminded me of this funny little song

Bob Saget - Old English Folk Song
HarassmentPanda's Avatar
HarassmentPanda at 08/13/2008 06:53
Adorable? Yes. But who in their right mind would intentionally want to associate their brand with a thing named Sackboy? I knew a kid we called Sackboy growing up; no one wanted to be associated with him.
Rainbowblack's Avatar
Rainbowblack at 08/13/2008 07:02
Sonys really trying to hammer this as the end all, be all of gaming. too much hype can be a bad thing. and to be honest I dont think this game has the chops to be a system seller, LBP is for "US", not the mainstream, though people will buy it, but this is feeling more and more like a game only a gamer could love.

Is it just me or do the Sackboys look a little "Floaty"? I hope the control scheme tightens up a bit. I cant stand games that do that.
Dark-Eco-Freak's Avatar
Dark-Eco-Freak at 08/13/2008 07:55
I'm betting LittleBigPlanet could turn out to be the Smash Bros. of the Sony world. They mentioned a surprise a little while back and that's my guess for it: It will incorporate tons of elements from other Sony games. They're already hinting at that with the Helgast, Kratos and Nariko costumes.
CaptBeans's Avatar
CaptBeans at 08/13/2008 08:27
I think they should really wait a bit before they get too far ahead of themselves, there's no indicator that the game will even help move consoles past that sony are hoping it will. At this point the whole thing is relying way too much off of "what could be" instead of anything solid.
They could at least wait til the game is out and see if it grabs a large audience or at least has some lasting power. Although if it does become big will we see Sackboy Racing, Sackboy Fighting and maybe Sackboy Minigame Bonanzas?

Sackboy is a stupid name too
randombullseye's Avatar
randombullseye at 08/13/2008 08:27
@Wardrox

I tried to be a little subtle and you just totally went for it.

@Coffee Man

Even George Clooney laughed at that video.

Alexradl's Avatar
Alexradl at 08/13/2008 08:50
It's definitely a great opportunity. Right now, Sony doesn't have a stand out franchise that everyone recognizes them by. Nintendo has Mario and MS has Master Chief while Sony has nothing.
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 08/13/2008 09:07
If they really go through with this I might actually get a PS3.
Mogg's Avatar
Mogg at 08/13/2008 09:38
Kratos?
microwavefood's Avatar
microwavefood at 08/13/2008 09:47
I really really want this game.
on a side note, I dont care much for master chief and the way he was designed. I felt like the baddies he fought were cooler, or he wasnt as cool as the GoW guy, or samus, megaman even. hamburger helper but I loved halo 1 and 2... then Halo 3 was released I bought it and popped it in... i felt wow this sucks.
/random
Phantom Spaceman's Avatar
Phantom Spaceman at 08/13/2008 09:53
50 Points to House Sterling for sack and face in the same sentence.
brandon85's Avatar
brandon85 at 08/13/2008 10:19
Damn Gamestop. I Reserved my copy on Tuesday and those effing bastids didn't give me my code for the Kratos Sackboy. I have a bone to pick with you oh stopper of games...
Rainbowblack's Avatar
Rainbowblack at 08/13/2008 10:41
@Brandon, are they supposed to give you the code when you preoder, don't you think its too soon to be handing out codes?, this is why i have yet to preorder mines, I'm going to wait at least until a month 1/2 before the release to do so.
Electro Lemon's Avatar
Electro Lemon at 08/13/2008 10:52
Hell yeah. Sackboy will be Sony's Alex Kidd.



Wait a minute.
mikeyed's Avatar
mikeyed at 08/13/2008 10:56
I think Kratos is still a good mascot, seeing as they got their god-complex and all.
Anus Mcphanus's Avatar
Anus Mcphanus at 08/13/2008 11:29
Snake obviously waited too long for his chance. No one wants an old geezer to be the face of their product, except maybe Nintendo
Max Power's Avatar
Max Power at 08/13/2008 12:03
"Mom I want that Testicle Kid game for Xmas!"

Sony is sooo sued.
CelicaCrazed's Avatar
CelicaCrazed at 08/13/2008 12:34
I doubt Sony would be saying all of this if they knew the game was setting up to be a disappointment. The only negative impressions I've seen are by people who haven't seen gameplay footage and are just going by what they hear the game's about. Not the best way to form an opinion ;).
adultswim810's Avatar
adultswim810 at 08/13/2008 12:44
if the game is good, then this will be a great idea.
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 08/13/2008 12:44
I don't think that Sackboy will be the new face for the Playstation brand, but it surely will be great for the image of the PS3 to the mainstream consumer. The greatest thing about the Playstation brand to me is that they don't have one major icon to whore out to multiple genres of mediocre games. So far Kratos can be the adult face, and Sackboy can be the everybody face.
Unicorn's Avatar
Unicorn at 08/13/2008 13:06
GEX!!!!!!!!!!!!
TrailerParkJesus's Avatar
TrailerParkJesus at 08/13/2008 13:27
I like how this is on the "Retarded cute SECTION"
mix's Avatar
mix at 08/13/2008 16:16
I could see this going either way as SackBoy is kinda cool but the whole "sack" thing....
Gameboi's Avatar
Gameboi at 08/13/2008 16:53
Maybe it's because I'm partial to the J&D games, or I like silly shit a bit too much, but I'd like to see Daxter as Sony's mascot. Amusing little feller that he is.
Xymplx's Avatar
Xymplx at 08/13/2008 17:50
@ Alexradl what about Solid Snake?
shouryuuken's Avatar
shouryuuken at 08/14/2008 11:43
@xymplx: solid snake? what? thats not even konamis mascot let alone sonys. you cant make someone your mascot when their games have appeared on other consoles.
BattyAdroit's Avatar
BattyAdroit at 08/14/2008 13:48
I love Sackboy. Bring it on.
prev next

Returning Dtoiders: login now to post a comment

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just Create an avatar now - it's fast and free: PLUS you also get your own gaming blog and begin posting stories and uploading videos in our open community area that may also appear on our home page. Sign up and we'll guide you through it, it's easy and 100% anonymous.




 Original Videos

 Reviews
Mad Dog McCree Gunslinger Pack
Overlord II
Yosumin Live!
Let's Tap
Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Wii)
View all Game Reviews

 Community blogs -   39702 Dtoiders!

This month's theme: Untapped Potential

New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide


 Originals

Retroforce Recap: so what about those dirty games, now?











more original Destructoid stories



 Popular now more













Destructoid is:
Nick Chester
Editor-in-Chief
Jim Sterling
Reviews Editor
Dale North
News Editor
Hamza Aziz
Community Manager
Anthony Burch
Features Editor
Rey Gutierrez
Video editor & director
Niero
Founder, publisher
Letters to the editors
tips@destructoid.com
Associate Editors
Ashley Davis Jonathan Holmes
Brad Nicholson Jonathan Ross
Brad Rice Jordan Devore
Chad Concelmo Matthew Razak
Colette Bennett Tom Fronczak
Conrad Zimmerman Topher Cantler
Dyson Samit Sarkar
Contributors
Adam Dork
Ben Perlee
Daniel Lingen
Joseph Leray
Joe Burling
Mikey
Will Maddock
Stella Wong




get involved

register or login
post a blog
post a forum
enter a contest
discuss a review
contribute a news tip
write a guest editorial
support

new member's guide
login assistance
tech support
report abuse
email our editors
read our dev blog
nuclear crisis?
keep in touch

RSS feed
Twitter
Facebook
Myspace
Flickr
Game nights
Meet-ups
seriously

about us
advertising
terms of use
privacy policy
jobs at MM
buy our crap
our network

Tomopop
Japanator




Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
living the dream since March 16, 2006