A shockwave has reverberated through the gaming community as news broke that the long-standing partnership between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and gaming giants Nintendo and Sega has ended. The iconic Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series, a staple of the gaming landscape for nearly two decades, has come to a close.
A key figure behind the series has confirmed that the decision to terminate the partnership originated with the IOC. The organization opted to explore new avenues, including NFTs and esports, rather than renewing its contract with Nintendo and Sega.
'Mario & Sonic' Won't Be Felt During Paris Olympics
The departure of Mario and Sonic from the Olympic Games stage marks a significant shift in the IOC's gaming strategy. While the duo has consistently delivered entertaining and accessible Olympic-themed titles, the IOC appears determined to forge a new path.
To coincide with the Paris 2024 Olympics, the IOC has launched Olympics Go! Paris 2024, a mobile game developed by nWay. This free-to-play title features a selection of Olympic sports and, notably, incorporates NFTs as digital collectibles. The game is also available on PC, although the core experience remains largely unchanged from the mobile version.
"Basically the IOC wanted to bring [the licensing] back to themselves internally and look at other partners so they would get more money," Lee Cocker, a developer who worked on the Mario & Sonic franchise, told Eurogamer.
Is Olympics Go! Paris 2024 a Replacement?
Since Mario and Sonic are nowhere to be seen in the quadrennial sports event, the IOC instead focused on bringing Olympics Go! Paris 2024, according to The Verge. It is the only free app from nWay that you can access on your smartphone. Its developer is a well-known studio behind Power Rangers games.
For those who want to play this on PC, there's a version designed for you. In the Epic Games Store, you can access this version which will allow you to compete in 12 Olympic sports. The visuals are close to the smartphone counterpart, apart from the touch controls.
For those who grew up with Mario and Sonic at every Olympic Games, a glimpse of them in Tokyo 2020 could be the last appearance of the duo for now. At the time, Nintendo Switch users participated in several summer sports events and even party games. There's also a single-player story mode for 2D title lovers.
For the next Olympic games, there's no assurance that they will be back. If the IOC decides to renew the licensing terms during that time, fans will be happy to see them in action once again.
The IOC's pivot towards NFTs and esports represents a bold gamble. While these sectors offer potential for innovation and revenue generation, they also carry significant risks and uncertainties.
