Which gaming mascot was originally created as a placeholder character but became so popular that the company completely rebranded their game and built an empire around this accidental icon?

In the competitive world of gaming, memorable mascots often become the face of major brands and franchises. These iconic characters can drive billions in merchandise sales, appear in movies, and even transcend their original games to become cultural phenomena. Test your knowledge about one of gaming's most recognizable mascots and its surprising corporate history!

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Pac-Man (Namco) - Originally a simple yellow circle meant to represent pizza with a slice missing
Kirby (Nintendo) - Initially a white blob placeholder that developers liked so much they built the game around it
Crash Bandicoot (Sony) - Started as a temporary animal design before becoming PlayStation's unofficial mascot
Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega) - Began as a rabbit character that could grab objects with extendable ears