Summary

  • The Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series is officially dead, with the sports crossover between two gaming icons confirmed to be over.
  • The International Olympic Committee has reportedly expressed more interest in NFTs and esports for future Olympic video games.
  • The IOC confirmed the first-ever Olympic eSports Games for 2025, with participants competing against each other in multiple different games.

The long-running Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series is officially dead, according to a former developer of the sports series that accompanied each event. The popular sports series has been a staple of each Summer Olympics since 2007, with Sega and Nintendo collaborating to pit their flagship mascots against one another in a variety of different sporting events. Sega and Nintendo also teamed up for two games based on the Winter Olympics, celebrating the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and 2014's event in Sochi. Now, the series is reportedly dead in the water.

While Mario and Sonic have long stood as some of gaming's biggest rivals, SEGA's transition to solely software development in the early 2000s has led to plenty of crossovers. Sonic has become a mainstay of Nintendo's Super Smash Bros series, appearing in each new game in the franchise since the Wii's Super Smash Bros Brawl. 2013's Sonic Lost World also received a Mario-themed DLC, with a special zone based on the Yoshi's Island games. However, one of the most well-known partnerships between the plumber and hedgehog is now reportedly finished.

mario and sonic olympics
All Mario & Sonic Olympic Games, Ranked

The long-standing friendly rivalry between Mario and Sonic finally comes to the sporting scene, as iconic characters compete in the Olympics for fun.

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Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is Officially Dead

As reported by Comicbook, former Mario & Sonic developer Lee Cocker shared the status of the beloved OIympic series in an interview with Eurogamer. According to Cocker, the series partnership with Nintendo and SEGA was officially ended by the International Olympic Committee, citing a desire to pursue different avenues. The International Olympic Committee reportedly expressed more of an interest in NFTs and esports for its Olympic video game future. The International Olympic Committee has not made an official announcement regarding the cancellation of the Mario & Sonic series.

The surprise cancellation of the Mario & Sonic series comes as the Olympics have expressed a greater interest in international esports. The IOC recently revealed it would host the first Olympic eSports Games in 2025, with the event set to be held in Saudi Arabia. A trial run of an eSports-themed Olympic Games was previously run in 2023 in Saudi Arabia, with players competing in multiple games including Fortnite. Rumors have hinted at a variety of games that may be featured within the 2025 Olympic eSports Games, including League of Legends and Street Fighter among others.

While the Mario & Sonic franchise may officially be over, fans of both franchises have no shortage of new games to dive into. Mario has seen a multitude of new titles in recent years, including the first 2D side-scrolling Mario game in more than ten years with Super Mario Bros Wonder late last year. SEGA also confirmed a new Sonic game coming soon, revealing Sonic x Shadows Generations as a remaster of Sonic Generations featuring new levels starring Shadow. The Mario & Sonic games will go down as an ambitious crossover between two of gaming's most iconic characters.

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Mario & Sonic at The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Tag Page Cover Art
4 /10

Mario & Sonic at The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
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Sports
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Top Critic Avg: 68 /100 Critics Rec: 51%
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Released
November 1, 2019
ESRB
E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Cartoon Violence
Developer(s)
Sega, Sega Sports R&D
Publisher(s)
Nintendo, Sega
Franchise
Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Team up with Mario, Sonic, and friends on Nintendo Switch in action-packed sporting events! Bring your best moves to the track, the gym, the ring, or the water in dozens of different party games everyone will enjoy.

Skateboard, surf, and race your way to the top! With more than 30 events to master in this fun-filled Olympic Games contest, there are plenty of ways to prove your skills to your friends in multiplayer mode.

The team’s all here! Play as Mario™, Sonic, or choose from a star-studded cast of colorful characters from your favorite games.

Dive into unique Dream Events that layer fantastical chaos with reality. Zip through a downhill obstacle course on your hoverboard, throwdown for territorial control with lightning-fast karate action, or smash the most targets inside a traditional Japanese manor!

And you won’t want to miss an epic story mode that sends you to 1964 to compete in classic, retro 2D sports events.

Platform(s)
Nintendo Switch
Genre(s)
Sports
How Long To Beat
6 Hours