Mario and Sonic Crossover Series is Dead

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Mario and Sonic Crossover Series is Dead

Highlights

  • 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.

As a long-time fan of both Mario and Sonic, I was deeply saddened to hear that the beloved Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series is officially coming to an end. This collaboration between Nintendo and Sega has been a staple of each Summer Olympics since 2007, and I have fond memories of playing these games with my family and friends during every Summer Games.

According to a former developer involved with the creation of the “Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games” series, this long-running collaboration between Sega and Nintendo has come to an end. Since 2007, fans have enjoyed watching Mario and Sonic compete against each other in various Olympic sports during the Summer Games. Sega and Nintendo also released two games based on the Winter Olympics, featuring the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi events. Regrettably, it appears that this popular series has reached its conclusion.

Mario and Sonic have been fierce competitors in the gaming world for a long time. However, with SEGA focusing solely on software development starting in the early 2000s, collaborations between the two iconic characters have become more common. Sonic has made regular appearances in Nintendo’s popular “Super Smash Bros” series since “Super Smash Bros Brawl” for the Wii. Additionally, the 2013 game “Sonic Lost World” included downloadable content featuring a Yoshi’s Island-themed zone. However, it seems that one of their most notable partnerships is no longer ongoing.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is Officially Dead

In an interview with Eurogamer, as I read on Comicbook, Lee Cocker, a former developer of the “Mario & Sonic” Olympics series, shared some disappointing news. He mentioned that the collaboration between Nintendo and Sega’s Olympic project and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has come to an end. The IOC reportedly wanted to explore new directions, focusing more on NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and esports for their future Olympic video games. Although the IOC hasn’t made an official statement about it yet, the “Mario & Sonic” Olympics series might be coming to an end.

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.

Although the collaboration between the Mario & Sonic series has ended, enthusiasts of both franchises are not lacking in fresh games to explore. Lately, the Mario universe has been enriched with numerous new titles, such as the long-awaited 2D side-scrolling game, Super Mario Bros Wonder, released last year. Additionally, SEGA announced an upcoming Sonic title, unveiling Sonic x Shadows Generations as a remaster of the popular Sonic Generations with new stages featuring Shadow. The Mario & Sonic games will be remembered for their daring crossover between two of gaming’s most renowned characters. In simpler terms, even though the joint series is over, there are plenty of fresh games from both franchises to enjoy, with recent additions like Super Mario Bros Wonder and an upcoming remastered version of Sonic Generations featuring Shadow.

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2024-07-30 18:23