The 10 Most ICONIC Modern Gaming Mascots

10 Iconic Modern Gaming Mascots

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at the best modern video game mascots! To keep things simple, we’re only including characters that became mascots after 2010.

Bendy

“Bendy” Series (2017-)

Released in 2017, “Bendy and the Ink Machine” capitalized on the modern boom of corrupting something innocent to fearsome results. Players control a retired animator drawn back to his former place of work, only to find that his cartoon characters have come to life. And they. Are. Pissed. Like other games in its genre, there are a lot of spooky characters to avoid, though Bendy is obviously the key player. The cartoon demon acts as the mascot of the fictional studio, and therefore the series. His rubber hose look is charming and memorable, which has led him to star in several games and spin-offs since, as well as his own series of books.

Meat Boy

“Super Meat Boy” Series (2008-20)

Although he first appeared in a 2008 flash game, it wasn’t until the full game in 2010 that Meat Boy became an emblem. “Super Meat Boy” is a beautifully challenging platformer consisting of quick-paced, precise mechanics and a whole lot of traps designed to decimate our poor hero. It was incredibly well-received, leading Meat Boy to become an indie superstar. He has since become the de facto mascot of the game’s developer, Team Meat, and starred in a 2020 sequel. His design, essentially a cube of ground beef with appendages, is simple, but with interesting touches like a missing tooth and black eye. Which makes sense, considering how brutal his games are.

Steve

“Minecraft” (2011)

Although Mojang Studios made the Creeper their official mascot, Steve has certainly become the more popular character. Plus, we don’t see a Creeper throwing down in “Smash.” Steve has been with “Minecraft” since the beginning, appearing in the Beta version and being the first default human players could choose. Despite his arguably generic design (he is just…a dude), fans latched onto him, even turning him into the creepypasta Herobrine not long after his debut. “Minecraft” doesn’t have a main character, but if it did, it would be Steve. In fact, in the upcoming film adaptation from Warner Bros., Steve will act as the protagonist and will be played by Jack Black.

Sans

“Undertale” (2015)

To be fair, there are multiple characters in “Undertale” that could be argued as its mascot, including Flowey the villain and Frisk the human. However, there is no character that is as recognizable or as beloved by the fanbase as Sans. His design takes the phrase ‘lazy bones’ to a whole new level. With his goofy personality, hoodie and slippers, and proclivity to speak in the Comic Sans font, he charms you the moment he appears on-screen. His optional fight is one of modern gaming’s most challenging, and the ‘Megalovania’ theme has taken on a life of its own. Additionally, he appeared as a skin for the Mii Gunner in “Smash,” and earned the prestigious title of ‘Ultimate Tumblr Sexyman” in 2022. If that doesn’t make him a mascot, we don’t know what does.

Shantae

“Shantae” Series (2002-19)

Admittedly, we’re bending the rules a bit for Shantae. Her first game debuted on the Game Boy Color in 2002, which is hardly modern. However, it was such a financial bomb that she couldn’t be considered anywhere close to a mascot. And developer Way Forward couldn’t get a sequel off the ground until 2010. “Risky’s Revenge” fared much better, turning the half-genie hero into a bonafide indie darling. Sequels have since brought in lots of new admirers; her design, as well as her hair-whip attack and ability to transform into animals, have given her a uniqueness even among the many other side-scrolling platformers. Plus, she’s not just the mascot of her own series, but of WayForward, emblematic of the team’s perseverance.

Monokuma

“Danganronpa” Series (2010-21)

The original “Danganronpa” followed a group of students trapped in their high school, with the only means of escape to murder someone else and not get found out in the following trial. Who put them there? A delightfully macabre teddy bear named Monokuma. In actuality, the robotic villain was used by the real mastermind to throw others off their scent. However, Monokuma became so popular that the developers brought him back for sequels. In each appearance, new killers stuck to tradition, using Monokuma to pull strings from the shadows. That made him the natural choice of mascot, as did his striking yin-yang design. Whenever a new killing game releases, we’re sure Monokuma will be at the heart of it.

Astro Bot

“Astro Bot” Series (2013-)

First appearing in one of several mini-games of the VR title, “The Playroom,” Astro Bot has since become Sony's latest push at a platforming mascot. He ticks all the right boxes: he’s cute and lighthearted, and his games push technological boundaries. After his debut, he quickly branched out into his own series, starring in another VR game, “Astro Bot’s Rescue Mission,” as well as the PS5’s “Astro’s Playroom,” somewhat of a tech demo and a significant showcase of the DualSense controller. However, the little bot’s biggest test as a mascot will come in September, 2024. The self-titled installment looks to expand tenfold on everything Astro has delivered thus far. And we’re hoping he has a long life of mascoting ahead of him.

Isabelle

“Animal Crossing” Series (2001-)

Step aside, villagers; there’s a new dog in town. First appearing in 2013’s “Animal Crossing: New Leaf,” players fell in love with Isabelle. Becoming mayor of your new home was made all the more delightful with this adorable pup as your assistant. Since then, Isabelle has completely taken over the series, outshining characters that have been there since the beginning. She took center stage in the spin-off “Amiibo Festival,” though the less said about that the better. She’s appeared in both “Mario Kart” and “Super Smash Bros.,” and we were all ecstatic to see her come back for 2020’s “New Horizons.” Speaking of which, that game’s release date coincided with “Doom Eternal,” which led to a treasure trove of incredible fan artwork and animations of her and Doom Guy being best buds.

Shovel Knight

“Shovel Knight” Series (2014-22)

Maybe it’s a cliche to say, but “Shovel Knight” truly was a game changer when it was released in 2014. It made the larger gaming world pay more attention to indie titles, so fantastic was its gameplay, retro visuals, and soundtrack. While Yacht Club Games continued work on expansions that focused on his villains, Shovel Knight himself became such an icon that he cameoed in everything from “Super Smash Bros.” to “Yooka-Laylee” to “Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.” He also received two spin-offs, the puzzler “Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon,” and the roguelike platformer, “Shovel Knight Dig.” Along with his stellar games, his blue armor with a horned helmet and his odd weapon of choice have made him instantly recognizable.

Freddy Fazbear

“Five Nights at Freddy’s” Series (2014-)

No matter how you feel about the franchise as a whole, there’s no denying that Freddy Fazbear is the most recognizable video game mascot of the modern era. Debuting in 2014, Freddy and his gang of diabolical machines have been terrorizing players ever since, usually in more than one game per year. “Five Nights at Freddy’s” kicked off an obsession of taking child-friendly figures and pushing them in increasingly more disturbing directions. And it became such a massive success that it has expanded to a mountain of tie-in novels and comics as well as a film adaptation in 2023, which currently has a sequel in development. No matter where it goes next, Freddy himself will remain iconic for a long time.

Who’s your favorite modern day gaming mascot? Let us know in the comments and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day!