The Death of the Furries
Do you have a hankering for some 3D platforming? To frolic through candy-colored world filled with adorable woodland critters? Want to play as a cool yet cuddly hero supported by a wise-cracking sidekick? Well I hope you still have your PS2 and N64 hooked up to the TV because the dearth of current generation mascot games has become rather noticeable of late.
So many of the games which defined the previous generations of consoles were mascot platformers. Jak and Daxter, Banjo-Kazooie, Sly Cooper, Ratchet and Clank, Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and Rayman are amongst a host of notable franchises to grace our presence. Only three of them have appeared so far this cycle and two of those have done so in a significantly altered manner.
Have we all become indifferent to their charms? As someone keenly awaiting the next installment of Ratchet and Clank Future I would disagree but perhaps I am in the minority. Still, considering the projects the developers went on to create it is difficult to begrudge their shift in focus. Naughty Dog moved from Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter to the critically acclaimed Uncharted, and the sequel is one of the most anticipated games of the year. Insomniac Games wet their beak with Spyro and Ratchet and Clank before shifting tack this generation with Resistance, and Sucker Punch went from Sly Cooper to Infamous. All excellent games, but certainly indicative of a shift in the industry.
The change in emphasis seems to have occurred for a number of reasons. As with all forms of media, the advancements in technology inevitably lead to new pastures. Previous consoles couldn’t render humans as well as they can now, so a cartoony style was more suited to their technical limitations. The aforementioned studios have also gained a greater autonomy due to their prior successes and were able to shift to projects that they felt more attached to. Perhaps most significantly, the perceived demographic of gamers has shifted dramatically this generation, leading to the decline of the mascot platformer.
Currently there is a huge divide between ‘casual’ and ‘hardcore’ games. Think for a moment about the most anticipated games that will be released within the next year. The vast majority are unlikely to be suitable for children. Certainly you wouldn’t want them playing Modern Warfare 2, God of War 3, Bayonetta and Splinter Cell (although they probably will) but they are some of the most interesting prospects on the horizon. The younger audience will once more have to rely on Mario and Ratchet to provide quality games at an appropriate level. Many games that don’t have Teen or Mature ratings are now party games or are linked to the Imagine franchise. It is an indication of how the market for games has changed. The mascot platformer represented a time when games were seen as holiday season gifts for children unable to pay for the game themselves. With the amount of games that have been shifted to the beginning of next year it is clear that the marketing men believe that the majority of consumers are independent income earners and therefore are not reliant on parental whims.
Should we lament the decline in prominence of the furries? I suspect that few people feel that strongly about them anymore. Still, spare a thought for kids today that may never play a game that doesn’t have a gun in it.
So many of the games which defined the previous generations of consoles were mascot platformers. Jak and Daxter, Banjo-Kazooie, Sly Cooper, Ratchet and Clank, Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and Rayman are amongst a host of notable franchises to grace our presence. Only three of them have appeared so far this cycle and two of those have done so in a significantly altered manner.
Have we all become indifferent to their charms? As someone keenly awaiting the next installment of Ratchet and Clank Future I would disagree but perhaps I am in the minority. Still, considering the projects the developers went on to create it is difficult to begrudge their shift in focus. Naughty Dog moved from Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter to the critically acclaimed Uncharted, and the sequel is one of the most anticipated games of the year. Insomniac Games wet their beak with Spyro and Ratchet and Clank before shifting tack this generation with Resistance, and Sucker Punch went from Sly Cooper to Infamous. All excellent games, but certainly indicative of a shift in the industry.
The change in emphasis seems to have occurred for a number of reasons. As with all forms of media, the advancements in technology inevitably lead to new pastures. Previous consoles couldn’t render humans as well as they can now, so a cartoony style was more suited to their technical limitations. The aforementioned studios have also gained a greater autonomy due to their prior successes and were able to shift to projects that they felt more attached to. Perhaps most significantly, the perceived demographic of gamers has shifted dramatically this generation, leading to the decline of the mascot platformer.
Currently there is a huge divide between ‘casual’ and ‘hardcore’ games. Think for a moment about the most anticipated games that will be released within the next year. The vast majority are unlikely to be suitable for children. Certainly you wouldn’t want them playing Modern Warfare 2, God of War 3, Bayonetta and Splinter Cell (although they probably will) but they are some of the most interesting prospects on the horizon. The younger audience will once more have to rely on Mario and Ratchet to provide quality games at an appropriate level. Many games that don’t have Teen or Mature ratings are now party games or are linked to the Imagine franchise. It is an indication of how the market for games has changed. The mascot platformer represented a time when games were seen as holiday season gifts for children unable to pay for the game themselves. With the amount of games that have been shifted to the beginning of next year it is clear that the marketing men believe that the majority of consumers are independent income earners and therefore are not reliant on parental whims.
Should we lament the decline in prominence of the furries? I suspect that few people feel that strongly about them anymore. Still, spare a thought for kids today that may never play a game that doesn’t have a gun in it.
