Which famous gaming mascot was originally created as a placeholder character during development but was kept due to its popularity with the testing team?

Gaming mascots have become the face of billion-dollar franchises, often becoming cultural icons beyond their digital worlds. From humble beginnings as simple sprites to fully realized characters with complex backstories, these mascots have helped build gaming empires and fostered brand loyalty across decades. Test your knowledge about one of gaming's most recognizable mascots and its surprising origin story!

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Kirby from Nintendo - originally a simple white blob placeholder before becoming the pink character we know today
Crash Bandicoot from Sony - initially designed as a temporary test character for PlayStation's 3D capabilities
Master Chief from Xbox - first conceived as a generic space marine for engine testing in early Halo development
Sonic the Hedgehog from Sega - started as a technical demonstration of the Genesis console's speed capabilities