Super Mario v Sackboy in Little Big Planet on PS3

Super Mario - Sonic The Hedgehog get out the way - for Sackboy - he's about to become a worldwide celebrity.

This little cloth man is being pushed by video games giant Sony as their defining mascot and he’s British.

Sony, who are pumping millions into the character, reckon every child in the world will want their own virtual character in the next few months.

Little Big Planet ... PlayStation reckon Second Life is soon to be second best

Sackboy was created by Media Molecule, with just 25 staff in Guildford, Surrey.

Released worldwide the game Little Big Planet - PlayStation 3 in October.

It's a cross between platform gaming and the sort of social networking seen on sites like MySpace.

Players start with a 'naked' Sackboy who they can customize in different clothes.

They then meet friends online and either create their own worlds or play in ones created by other people.

Girls will have their own version — unsurprisingly called Sackgirl.

PlayStation reckon that in months the game’s community will have easily outnumbered online worlds such as Second Life.

He’s a charming and personable character people will take to and the fact you can dress him up how you like will appeal.

The emphasis of Little Big Planet, the biggest PS3 release yet, is on design and customisation.

The release will be backed up by worldwide Sackboy merchandise and small dolls of the iconic figure are being produced.

The head of Media Molecule, Mark Healey, was approached three years ago by senior Sony executives desperate to snap up exclusive rights for using Sackboy.

Mario, one of the planet’s most recognisable figures, has made Sony rival Nintendo billions.