The Mario & Sonic Olympic Series is No More
My familiarity with the Olympic Games was not from watching athletes from all around the world compete for gold in various sports on TV, but from a video game called Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. Released in 2007 ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, it would be the first game in a series that saw rivals Mario and Sonic and their friends come together and participate in the world's biggest sporting event. It seems like an odd concept, but it worked, with six games produced of varying quality that revolved around the 2008–2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. So, what happened to the series?
For starters, if you want to create a video game that revolves around the Olympic Games, then you need to buy the rights to them from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Sega bought the rights to create video games around the 2008–2016 Olympics, but Ubisoft bought the rights for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics before Sega could, hence Mario and Sonic were not present at the Games. Sega was able to buy the rights for the Tokyo Olympics, but that would be the last Olympics that the duo would participate in.
That's because the IOC no longer saw the value of the Mario & Sonic series. The IOC was more interested in keeping the rights (and money) and working with other partners and NFTs instead of Nintendo and Sega, as shown with the games they created for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and 2024 Paris Olympics. However, they are not the hit the IOC was hoping for due to a lack of promotion and incorporating controversial NFTs. Looking at the direction that the IOC took, it's baffling that they ditched Mario and Sonic since they are popular now more than ever thanks to their movies and recent games that have been released; they definitely could have banked more if they kept working with the duo since the organization cares more about their profits.
Regardless, it's kind of sad that the series had to retire like this. Though the series had moderate success, it most definitely succeeded in bringing Olympic Games more to the forefront. It also brought two iconic video game characters and former rivals together to compete in some friendly competition. And it was fun to play as Mario and Sonic characters in various sports, whether it be the traditional Olympic events or the Dream events, which were a Mario and Sonic twist on the Olympic events. However, perhaps it's for the best. The IOC clearly stopped appreciating the series, and Nintendo and Sega are busier than ever with their own projects, so perhaps they called time on the series. It was fun while it lasted. Thanks for the memories, Mario and Sonic!
Sources:
Mario & Sonic Crossover Series Reportedly Killed by the International Olympic Committee
Olympics ditched Mario & Sonic series to explore NFTs and esports
Check out my Substack post that discusses the 2024 Paris Olympics and facial recognition technology.