You probably noticed something weird during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Or maybe you didn't, because life is busy and nobody spends every waking second thinking about blue hedgehogs and Italian plumbers. But for a certain generation of gamers, the absence of a new Mario vs Sonic Olympics title felt like a glitch in the matrix.
Since 2007, these games were a staple. Every couple of years, like clockwork, we’d get to see Bowser trying to outrun Shadow the Hedgehog in a 100m sprint. It was glorious. It was ridiculous. And now, it's basically dead.
Most people assume Nintendo or Sega just got bored. They didn't.
The NFT Sized Elephant in the Room
The real reason we didn't get a Paris 2024 game is actually kind of frustrating. It wasn't about "creative differences" between the two Japanese giants. Honestly, they were perfectly happy to keep the gravy train rolling. The decision came from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) itself.
Lee Cocker, a former executive producer who worked on the series for nearly two decades at ISM, pulled back the curtain on this last year. According to him, the IOC basically decided to let the licensing deal with Nintendo and Sega lapse after the Tokyo 2020 games.
Why? Because they wanted to chase the shiny new things: NFTs and esports.
Yeah. You read that right. The committee that oversees the most prestigious athletic event on Earth decided that instead of a polished, million-selling console game featuring the two most iconic mascots in history, they’d rather pivot to digital "pins" and mobile apps. They wanted to bring the gaming side of things "internally" to maximize profit.
The result was Olympics Go! Paris 2024. If you haven't heard of it, don't worry. Most people haven't. It’s a free-to-play mobile and PC title that features NFT digital pins. It... isn't exactly a replacement for Mario and Sonic.
Why the Mario vs Sonic Olympics Partnership Mattered
It’s easy to forget how big of a deal this was back in the day. In the 90s, Mario and Sonic being in the same game was the schoolyard equivalent of a fever dream. It was impossible. Sega and Nintendo were at war.
Then, 2007 happened.
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The first Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games on the Wii was a massive hit. It sold over 10 million copies. It proved that these two could coexist, and more importantly, it turned the Olympics into something kids actually cared about. The series eventually moved over 30 million units across its lifetime.
The games weren't always "perfect" 10/10 masterpieces. Some of the motion controls were janky. Sometimes the events felt like a collection of mini-games you’d play once and never touch again. But they had heart. They had those "Dream Events" where the developers actually got to have fun with the physics, like racing through a Sonic level or battling in a Mario-themed arena.
The 2026 Twist: Is Sega Coming Back?
Here is where things get interesting and a little bit confusing. While the Mario vs Sonic Olympics series as we know it is officially "finished" (according to Cocker), Sega recently signed a new multi-year deal with the IOC.
In October 2025, Sega and the IOC announced a "Five Rings" collaboration.
But wait. Don't get your hopes up for a new game just yet. This deal is primarily about merchandise. We’re talking shirts, jackets, and stationery featuring Sonic and the Olympic rings. The first wave of this stuff is slated for 2026, likely timed with the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
Notice who is missing from that announcement? Mario.
Without Nintendo’s involvement, the "vs" part of the equation disappears. It seems the IOC is happy to work with Sega on a branding level, but the days of the crossover sports spectacle are currently in the rearview mirror.
The Esports Pivot
The IOC is also doubling down on the "Olympic Esports Games." They’ve partnered with Saudi Arabia to host events starting in 2025. This is a massive shift from the family-friendly, mascot-driven approach of the previous decade.
They’re looking for "legitimate" competitive titles. Think Rocket League or Street Fighter. While that's cool for the competitive scene, it leaves a massive hole in the "casual fun" market that Mario and Sonic occupied so well.
What the Fans Actually Wanted
If you look at the Reddit threads or the Twitter (X) discourse, gamers aren't exactly crying over the lack of Olympic realism. They’re sad about the crossover.
There’s a long-standing theory that the Olympic setting was actually holding back the potential of a Mario and Sonic collaboration. Imagine a full-blown 3D platformer where you switch between Mario’s precision jumping and Sonic’s high-speed loops. Or an RPG in the vein of Mario & Luigi.
Instead, we got 15 years of swimming laps and throwing javelins.
But it worked. It was a safe space for two rival fanbases to meet. It was a bridge. By ditching that for NFTs and mobile simulators, the IOC didn't just lose a game; they lost a cultural connection to a younger demographic.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Collectors
If you're feeling the void left by the cancellation of the Mario vs Sonic Olympics series, here’s how you should navigate the current landscape:
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- Hold onto your physical copies: Since the series is officially discontinued and the licensing has lapsed, these games (especially the rarer Winter versions) are likely to become collectors' items. They won't be getting digital re-releases anytime soon because of the complex rights between Nintendo, Sega, and the IOC.
- Check out the 2026 merch: If you're a Sonic fan, keep an eye out for the "Five Rings" collection launching in early 2026. It’s the first time in years we’ve seen Sonic officially branded with the Olympic logo without the Mario crew.
- Look for the "Spirit" elsewhere: If you want that crossover itch scratched, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate remains the only place where these characters truly go head-to-head.
- Ignore the "Olympic Go!" hype: Unless you really love collecting NFT pins, the current "official" Olympic games are a vastly different experience from the console titles of the past.
The era of mascots in tracksuits is over for now. It was a weird, 17-year experiment that started with a handshake and ended with a pivot to the blockchain. Whether it ever comes back depends more on committee boardrooms than it does on game developers, but for now, Tokyo 2020 stands as the final finish line.