Friendship, excellence, and respect were officially highlighted as shared values between the two organizations.
SEGA and the IOC announced a multi-year licensing deal on Oct. 6, 2025, accompanied by an official blog post on the Olympics website. Within the blog post, the IOC stated that the licensing deal will debut a co-branded merchandising program celebrating Sonic the Hedgehog and the Olympic Rings, highlighting shared values such as friendship, excellence, and respect. The full range of licensed merchandise is scheduled for 2026.
As a part of the announcement, Deputy Managing Director Elisabeth Allaman stated that the IOC is happy to unite with SEGA for the upcoming chapter. The collaboration is said to embrace the power of storytelling, “combining the universally recognised Olympic rings with the beloved character of Sonic, fans of all ages can experience the spirit of sport and play in new and memorable ways.”
SEGA’s Co-Chief Operating Officer Shuji Utsumi also shared a statement, where the leader essentially highlights SEGA and the IOC’s commitment to “excellence, unity, and perseverance,” while relating the values to Sonic’s speed.
From 2008 to 2020, SEGA and Nintendo partnered with the IOC to create the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games series; the series concluded after the Tokyo 2020 game, after the IOC opted to pursue other avenues. The latest news was exclusively between SEGA and the IOC, with Nintendo no longer included within the equation.
