A Nintendo Switch game that launched on the console in 2019 and has remained exclusive to the platform has suddenly been taken off the eShop. By all accounts, 2019 was one of the best years that the Switch saw throughout its life cycle. Games like Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Pokemon Sword and Shield, Super Mario Maker 2, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, and countless others launch on the Switch this year, giving Nintendo users plenty to play. Sadly, one Switch exclusive that arrived late in 2019 has suddenly been delisted from Nintendo’s digital storefront for reasons that aren’t clear.
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As of today, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has seen its removal from the Nintendo eShop. Released in November 2019, this entry in the long-running Mario & Sonic sports series arrived almost two years prior to the Tokyo Olympics themselves, as they were delayed to 2021 as a result of the global pandemic in 2020. The reason behind this delisting of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is one that Sega and Nintendo haven’t explained, but it likely has to do with the expiration of the Olympics license. Since this deal expired that allowed Sega to use the Olympics name and logo in the game, it’s no longer allowed to be sold as a product that can generate the company money. Situations like this are fairly commonplace, even if they are disappointing for fans.
This Nintendo Series Seems to Be Dead
This delisting of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is just another reminder that the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series is likely gone for good. In the time since Tokyo 2020 was released, three different Olympic Games have happened (two winter Olympics, one summer Olympics), none of which have produced a new Mario & Sonic entry. As such, it’s apparent that one of the parties involved in the creation of this franchise no longer wishes for it to continue onward, which means that the Tokyo 2020 installment will be the last one ever seen.
If you’re saddened to see Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 delisted from the eShop for yourself, it’s worth noting that the game is still very much available in a physical format. In fact, retailers like Amazon are selling the game right now for less than what it was selling for on the eShop. While this price could increase over time due to newfound scarcity in the wake of no digital version now being available, those interested in buying the game right now shouldn’t have any issues doing so.
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