Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Delisted from Switch eShop, A Potential End for the Crossover Series

As many are aware, there will not be a "Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Paris 2024" installment. The latest crossover title from Sega and Nintendo, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, has now been removed from the Nintendo Switch eShop, which was its sole digital platform. Players who previously purchased the game can still redownload it, but anyone wishing to play it for the first time, years after its release, will now need to acquire a physical Nintendo Switch cartridge.

The official website for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games has not received any updates since the Tokyo 2020 game launched in 2019. Sega, as the developer of the console crossover, also offered several mobile alternatives with Sonic at the Olympic Games for iOS and Android. These mobile versions did not feature Nintendo characters, as Nintendo was not involved in the mobile gaming market at that time. Tokyo 2020 was the third, and to date, last edition to feature Sonic as the exclusive Olympic protagonist for mobile platforms.

The Switch game, which included a charming retro homage to the 1964 Olympics with 8-bit characters, faced an unforeseen challenge when the 2020 pandemic forced the postponement of the real-world Olympic Games until mid-2021. This delay arguably caused the Sega-developed title to lose relevance for two years. While this could have been a contributing factor, it was not cited as the official reason why the Paris 2024 Olympic Games began without a new Mario & Sonic game for fans of both Nintendo and Sega.

Regarding the online features of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, there has been no announcement concerning their deactivation or a specific timeline for such an event. It appears these online modes will remain accessible for the foreseeable future. Any future updates regarding their status will be communicated.