Paris 2024 is the first Olympics without an official console video game in three decades – here’s why

ALWAYS, since the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, there has always been a licensed video game on the console to accompany the big event.

But this year, fans looking for an official title tied to Paris 2024 on PlayStation, Xbox, or Switch won’t find it; here’s why.

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The shift from big-budget video game releases to the Olympics is pure business logic, also influenced by changing trends in how and where people play.

As video games strive to be more realistic and visually stunning than ever before, development cycles have become longer and budgets have skyrocketed.

The high cost of creating games means that each title needs to sell more copies to recoup investments and generate a profit.

This is possible for most video game genres as titles have a long shelf life due to their timeless stories or interesting gameplay.

But it’s very different for a sports title based on a limited-time event that lasts no more than three weeks.

Olympic video games have a very short window during which they can expect to sell well, after which interest in the game will wane.

Unlike other sports simulation games like Madden NFL or EA Sports FC, which have a loyal fan base that buys every yearly release, an Olympic video game is a gamble for its publisher.

As delays in video game development have become common, the possibility of releasing the title too late and missing the narrow window of opportunity makes the creation of such games even more risky.

Olympic Gold for the Sega Mega Drive, known as the Sega Genesis in the US, was the first official game of its kind, released before the Barcelona Olympics in ’92.

The game was simple back then and nowhere near the elaborate sports simulations players expect today.

The most recent games based on the Summer Olympics were published by Sega, for the London 2012 and Tokyo 2020 Games.

Since 2007, we’ve also had the Mario & Sonic at the Olympics series, which attempted to increase interest in these games by combining the event with the games’ most iconic characters.

We had Mario and Sonic at the Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games.

None of this will return at Paris 2024, as Olympic video games are moving from consoles to mobile phones.

With more people playing games on the go than ever before, it makes more sense to have mobile games that are smaller, cheaper to develop, and can be supported by microtransactions.

That’s why this year’s only official video game is Olympics, go! Paris 2024a free title that you can download to your Android or iOS device.

Offering 12 sports to play, the game also allows players to build and upgrade sports facilities and customize their athletes.

If you’re looking for more gaming news about the Olympics, check out the apparent Assassin’s Creed nod during the Paris 2024 opening ceremony.

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