PlayStation is one of the biggest gaming companies ever, a feat it reached with the power of its characters. Sure, PlayStation consoles have usually been great, but the longevity of the brand is due to its exclusive characters. But who do we think of when we think of the best PlayStation characters of all time?
The PlayStation brand has been around since 1994, meaning that it has seen a lot of console generations and plenty of video game characters. There are so many characters that are integral to the PlayStation brand. That said, only a handful of Playstation characters have managed to leave a meaningful legacy.
The rules are simple for this list. Each entry must have had an exclusive game released on a PlayStation platform. Additionally, their impact on the brand will play a role in their position on the list.
For instance, are these characters seen in PlayStation marketing, logos, and even console packaging. Characters that were owned or created by a PlayStation game studio can count, but licensed third-party characters will not.
These are the most iconic PlayStation characters of all time.
Jak and Daxter
Jak and Daxter are icons of the early PlayStation era, but it has been a long-dead franchise. That said, Jak and Daxter are a beloved part of PlayStation history. Created and developed by NaughtyDog, Jak and Daxter is a 3D platformer centered around two friends who keep getting into more and more trouble. The Jak and Daxter series was a big hit on the PlayStation 2 and PSP. Unfortunately, it never received a sequel on the PlayStation 3 or 4.
Of course, Jak and Daxter led to the development of Uncharted, which made NaughtyDog one of the most prestigious games studios. While they aren’t a big part of the PlayStation we know today, props have to go to this pair for making PlayStation what it has become.
Sackboy
Sackboy was a surprise standout from Media Molecule’s Little Big Planet. Sackboy was one of the faces of the PlayStation 3, and integral to the marketing of the generation. While Sackboy is no longer a big player in the marketing of the PlayStation 5, they remain an iconic character in the PlayStation catalog.
Sackboy continues to get new game releases and homages in new Media Molecule games. Plus, Sackboy is a character meant for all ages and helps Market PlayStation to a younger audience. Of course, Sackboy’s influence has been declining for years, and therefore, they end up near the bottom of the list.
Astrobot
Astrobot has seen a meteoric rise in popularity, especially with the launch of the PlayStation 5. Astrobot has always been the go-to PlayStation character for games that can demonstrate the capabilities of their new hardware. After the success of Astro’s Playroom, PlayStation greenlit a sequel from Team Asobi.
It seems as if Astroboy is inheriting the throne from Sackboy in terms of being the family-friendly iconic PlayStation character. Heck, the PlayStation productions logo at the beginning of the Uncharted movie features this little robot among some of the biggest characters PlayStation owns. Things are bright for Astrobot’s future as it cements itself as an iconic PlayStation character.
Jin Sakai
Jin Sakai is another new face from Ghost of Tsushima by Sucker Punch Studio. Ghost of Tsushima launched on the PlayStation 4 shortly before the PlayStation 5 release. Ghost of Tsushima, therefore, had a huge sweep of momentum with the PlayStation brand and became a huge hit for the company.
In a short time, Jin Sakai has become a fan-favorite character. The follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima is one of the more anticipated titles coming down the line. Jin Sakai is a testament to the quality of PlayStation’s first-party developers and their willingness to try something new.
Crash Bandicoot
Looking back to the early PlayStation years, it is hard not to give Crash Bandicoot the throne as the most iconic PlayStation character. Nowadays, the story is very different, but back in the heyday of the original PlayStation, Crash was the face of the entire brand. In the 90s, PlayStation ads put Crash front and center and explicitly connected him with the PlayStation brand.
The Bandicoot remains a beloved character but is no longer associated exclusively with the PlayStation brand. Fun fact, it is technically becoming an Xbox property with the acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Aloy
Aloy is, unfortunately, one of the two women on this list (you can probably guess the other), which highlights a major problem at PlayStation Studios. Sure, PlayStation has other games starring a female protagonist, but they aren’t typically front and center in their marketing.
Complaints aside, Aloy is a fantastic character, and the Horizon franchise is a standout series. Aloy fights robot dinosaurs and robot animals, so it is hard to compete with her in terms of coolness. Aloy is a badass woman on a mission to save the world. After the first game launched in 2017, Aloy has been one of the faces of PlayStation and part of one of their most successful franchises.
Joel and Ellie
This duo captured the hearts of PlayStation players back in 2013. The Last of Us is often called a masterpiece, and for good reasons. The crux of this praise is on the game’s narrative and the characters of Joel and Ellie. Their journey and relationship ushered in a new era for PlayStation studios and elevated PlayStation into a new tier of game development.
Since their debut, Joel and Ellie have become PlayStation’s most iconic characters when it comes to narrative storytelling. The Last of Us is one of PlayStation’s best-selling series, and Part II is one of the best games ever made. When it comes to prestige characters, few surpass Joel and Ellie.
Ratchet and Clank
Ratchet and Clank are longtime staple characters for PlayStation. Few franchises have a long and continued history, like Ratchet and Clank. Ratchet and Clank first appeared on the PlayStation 2 in 2002 and since then have appeared on every generation of Playstation console over seventeen games. They even have a movie.
Insomniac Games, one of PlayStation’s top-tier developers, developed this franchise after working on the Spyro trilogy. Spyro himself was a mascot for Playstation, but Ratchet and Clank have become iconic Playstation characters. Moreover, the success of this Lombax and his robot companion have paved the way for Insomniac’s Spiderman game.
Nathan Drake
PlayStation would not be where it is today without Nathan Drake. Naughty Dog struck gold when they released Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. This series following Nathan Drake has been nothing but extremely successful for PlayStation. Nathan Drake played a seismic role in the marketing of PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.
Despite the Uncharted series saying goodbye to Nathan Drake in Uncharted 4, he remains an integral part of the PlayStation brand. He is also one of the few PlayStation characters to have their own movie.
Kratos
The God of War himself takes our number one spot. There are many reasons why Kratos is the most iconic PlayStation character of all time. The first is his longevity. Kratos has been a staple of the PlayStation brand since 2005.
While there was a brief hiatus between God of War: Ascension and God of War (2018), Kratos has maintained a steady place among the pantheon of iconic characters.
The other reason Kratos is iconic is based purely on the number of copies of God of War (2018) sold on the PS4. God of War (2018) sold 19.5 million copies, making it the best-selling game on the PlayStation 4. Moreover, the game was a huge critical success.
Kratos returned with a bang and took over the throne as the most iconic PlayStation character. The follow-up to God of War (2018), titled God of War Ragnorok, is the most anticipated game for the PlayStation 5. Good job, Kratos!
That’s our list for the most iconic PlayStation characters of all time. Which characters do you think deserved a place on our list? Do you agree or disagree with the ranking? Let us know in the comments below.
Check out some of our other ranked gaming entries:
- Every God of War Game Ranked From Worst To Best
- The Complete Blizzard Games List Ranked from Worst to Best
- All Call of Duty Games Ranked from Worst to Best
- All BioWare Games Ranked from Worst to Best
Crash is still the first one that comes to mind when I think of playstation. I remember playing crash 2 straight in one sitting on OG playstation. Still feels weird to see him on a Nintendo console.
Crash will always be the OG PlayStation character.