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Forums - Gaming - The most well-known video game characters to non-gamers.

TreeTurtle on 03 September 2014

People only know Sonic and Donkey Kong now for memes on the internet, nobody knows Mega Man, Lara Croft, Link or Pac-Man. Well, people know Link as Zelda, and Pac-Man is still a bit popular with families who have memories playing it and the Google Doodle a few years back.

Why didn't they have the Steve/Minecraft guy. He is waaay more recognizable then more than half of that list. I am not a Minecraft fan, btw. I have only played it once.



nice

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TreeTurtle on 03 September 2014

If this list was made in 2011, I bet Angry Birds would be in the top 10.



nice

prinz_valium on 03 September 2014
Fusioncode said:
Soundwave said:
Mario. No other character is even close.

In terms of "non-gamers" I think Pikachu is more recognizable. Pokemon has a TV show, movies, trading cards, and tons of merchandise. 


thats why it is not #1

some think its a tv show. not a game ;)



Lawlight on 03 September 2014
Soundwave said:
Mario. No other character is even close.


Pac-Man comes close or possibly surpasses Mario.



Lawlight on 03 September 2014
TreeTurtle said:
I know NOBODY who know's Lara Croft. And their "gamers".


Lara Croft was the first truly mainstream video game character actually. Did people forget Lara Croft being on the cover of non-gaming magazines?



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BraveNewWorld on 03 September 2014

Remember guys this isn't some peer-reviewed study. Some guy went to the mall and gave people one minute to name game characters. He was content with accepting things such as "the guy from Zelda". I just thought it was interesting.

A more accurate survey would likely entail showing official artwork of video game characters, and asking people for their exact name.

So they'd have to say 'Pikachu', 'Mario or Super Mario', 'Sonic or Sonic the Hedgehog'.



"On my business card I am a corporate president. In my mind I am a game developer. But in my heart I am a gamer." - Satoru Iwata

ice on 04 September 2014

Wonder how many people called Link "Zelda".



AZWification on 04 September 2014

I do wonder if those people called Luigi " The green Mario"...



                
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episteme on 04 September 2014
Ka-pi96 said:
highwayuni said:

Decent list, but I'd argue that not everyone knows Lara Croft or Megaman. I didn't know about Megaman until I started getting into the internet a few years ago.

Link (or Zelda as a lot of people call him), Mario, Pikachu, Sonic and Pacman are recognised by everyone. Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Steve and Masterchief are figures too.

 Slenderman and Flappybird are instantly recognisable nowadays too.

Lara Croft was huge a few years back though, regularly on magazines and with the Tomb Raider movies as well.

WTF is Steve?

You don' know Steve?

I also had to google to find out that it's the dude from Minecraft.