It’s no secret that the gaming industry has skyrocketed in popularity sincethe 1983 video game crash, to the point where it is now one of the biggest forms of entertainment in the world. Because of this surge in prominence, many of gaming’s most iconic characters, franchises, consoles, and, of course, logos are now recognized by millions of people across the globe.
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Sony’s PlayStationconsoles deserve a chunk of the credit for gaming’s popularity today, particularly for the ingenious decision fromSonyto have theirPlayStation2 console double up as a cost-effective DVD player, which helped make video game consoles a common household item. Throughout the years,PlayStation owners have been treated to some of the industry’s best gamesand consoles, and seeing their iconic logos will often bring great memories.
7PlayStation 1 Startup Logo
The PlayStation 1’s startup logo is a source of nostalgia for many gamers. The console was first released in Japan in 1994 before releasing worldwide the following year. There initially wasn’t much hope for the console, as Nintendo was a dominant force in the industry andSegawas releasing their fourth major home console around the same time.
However, Sony’s PlayStation 1 managed to carve its own space in the gaming industry by initially marketing itself toward adults and mature gamers. This caught peoples' attention, and PlayStation was soon able to expand into the children’s market with theirmascot characters,Crash BandicootandSpyro the Dragon.
6Naughty Dog Logo
Naughty Doghas been one of Sony’s most valuable assets since the PlayStation 1’s release, as the company has given PlayStation consoles some of their most critically acclaimed and commercially successful IPs, such asUncharted,The Last of Us, and the aforementionedCrash Bandicoot.
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Naughty Dog wasn’t always a Sony company, as their first gameMath Jam -which was developed under their former name JAM Software - was released on the Apple II in 1985. Naughty Dog would then develop games for a variety of systems, such as the Sega Genesis, Amiga, and Atari ST, before eventually releasing their first PlayStation game in 1996,Crash Bandicoot.
5Mortal Kombat Logo
Mortal Kombat’s logo of an aggressive-looking elder god dragon surrounded by burning flames gives players a pretty good insight into what kind of franchiseMortal Kombatis.Theseries began in 1992 in arcades and immediately drew criticism from those who were shocked by the game’s graphic violence, particularly due tothe game’s notoriously gruesome Fatality finishing moves.
TheMortal KombatIP survived the calls for it to be banned and is now one of the fighting genre’s most popular and highly-regarded franchises.
4Assassin’s Creed Logo
Ubisoft’sAssassin’s Creedseries began in November 2007 and has since become one of gaming’s most recognizable IPs. The franchise now boasts near-yearly releases that offer open-world adventures in some of history’s most important periods, including Ptolemaic period Egypt, the Second Industrial Revolution in London, and Ancient Greece. The franchise is known for featuring quintessentialUbisoft-style open-world gaming, withhuge game-worlds to explorefilled with tons of side quests and collectibles - all highlighted on the game’s map to make them easy to find.
TheAssassin’s Creedlogo features the insignia of the Assassin Order, which acts as a thread that links the many games.
3God Of War (2018) Logo
TheGod of Warseries began in 2005 and offeredDevil May Cry-inspired hack and slash gameplay but with a Greek mythology theme. The series continued to focus on Greek mythology until its most recent release,God of War(2018), whichshifted focus to Norse mythologywhile also drastically changing the series' gameplay and visual design.
Related:Every God Of War Game, Ranked
With a new mythological theme came a new logo. They may look similar from a distance, but the original orange Greek Omega symbol was replaced with a circular red-painted logo engraved with Norse symbols.
2Grand Theft Auto Logo
For those unfamiliar with video games, it may be a surprise to hear that theGrand Theft Autologo is one of the most iconic in gaming history, considering that it’s just the game’s name in a somewhat unique font. However, logos are a lot like band names, in the sense that the reason iconic ones are iconic is because of what they represent, rather than the logo/name itself.
TheGrand Theft Autoseries began in November 1997 with a top-down shooter before the series eventually moved into the open-world genre withGrand Theft Auto 3.TheGrand Theft Autoseries has since become a cornerstone of the increasingly popular open-world genre, as the franchise constantlyraises the bar of its overall scope and qualitywith each new release.
1Resident Evil’s Umbrella Corporation Logo
The firstResident Evilgame was released in March 1996 on the PlayStation 1 and wasinstrumental in bringing gaming’s horror genre to the attention of mainstream audiences. The franchise has continued to spearhead the horror genre’s constant rise in popularity, while the classicResident Evil 4is still considered by many to be the best ever horror video game.
Though the zombies may seem like the main antagonist of theResident Evilseries, those familiar with the long-running franchise’s story know that Umbrella Corporation are the true main antagonist. The company is responsible for the T-virus and will stop anyone trying to get in the way of the company’s goal to perfect it by any means necessary.
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