The first episode of PBS Game/Show, a weekly series focusing on video games and culture, discusses the staying power of gaming's most recognizable characters: Mario, Link and Sonic.
Kill Screen founder Jamin Warren hosts the series. During the first episode, Warren details the marketing and cultural implications of these popular characters. Mario has appeared in more than 300 titles and, according to Warren, won the hearts of many gamers as a child.
"In marketing it's called the ‘first mover advantage,' and it's a pretty big one," Warren said. "That early popularity? It feeds on itself. Mario, Sonic and Link might be what economists call locked-in. A locked-in product or character might not be more superior, but you want it, because everyone else has it."
You can watch the episode above.
