In a surprising move, Sega Japan has confirmed that Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has been removed from the Nintendo eShop, leaving fans disheartened. This change means that new players can no longer purchase a digital copy of the game, and their only option will be to scout for physical versions. Although the title was released as part of the franchise’s longstanding tradition of crossing Nintendo and Sega characters, its delisting marks a significant moment for followers of the series.
The Mario & Sonic franchise began its journey in 2007 with the debut of the game on the Nintendo Wii and has since celebrated numerous Olympic events through six main titles. These games, including two focused on Winter Olympics, were designed to attract fans to both gaming and sports. However, this latest game, which aimed to coincide with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, will be the last installment in the series after its release in 2019.
Despite its prior popularity, the absence of sales momentum for the game has likely contributed to its removal from the digital storefront. Given that it was based on an event that took place six years ago, the decision, although disappointing, is not entirely unexpected. While current owners can still redownload the game and access its online features, newcomers have lost their opportunity to engage with this particular title.
Fans had once entertained hopes for a new entry in the series in the lead-up to various Olympic events slated for 2022 to 2026, yet no new installment emerged. Although there were brief moments of excitement with merchandise related to the franchise, it became evident that the International Olympic Committee had severed ties with Sega and Nintendo, effectively ending the rights for future titles. This shift suggests that the game’s distribution rights have now lapsed, hence its current unavailability.
The last chapter of the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games saga concludes with a less-than-stellar reception; critics were lukewarm, with the game garnering only a 51% recommendation rate on OpenCritic. Adding to the series’ challenges, AlphaDream, the development studio behind the game, closed its doors shortly after its release. Ambitious features that were initially planned, such as crossovers with popular franchises like Metal Gear Solid and Pokémon, unfortunately never materialized due to licensing restrictions.
This crossover series had been a rare moment of collaboration between two dominant gaming properties, as characters from both Nintendo and Sega rarely appeared together in the same space. While the future remains uncertain, it seems unlikely that the IOC will grant the necessary permissions for a potential revival, leaving the Mario & Sonic franchise in a state of limbo for the foreseeable future.
