A new partnership between Nintendo and Sega was announced, signaling a significant moment for fans across North America. In a Nintendo Direct video presentation, Satoru Iwata, then president of Nintendo Global, spoke about bringing together Nintendo’s platforming heritage with Sega’s strength in fast paced action gaming. The announcement resonated with players in Canada and the United States who were eager to see how these two longtime rivals would collaborate to create fresh experiences across Nintendo platforms. The emphasis was on collaboration rather than competition, aiming to push new ideas that could shape the future of both companies and expand the creative possibilities for their catalogs in North American markets.
The centerpiece of the partnership was Sonic Lost World, described as an ambitious action platformer born from this collaboration. Early information was sparse, but officials indicated that more details would surface on June 11, ahead of the E3 2013 video game trade show. The project suggested a bold effort to blend Sonic’s speed driven design with Nintendo’s signature platforming sensibilities, offering a new way for players in the United States and Canada to experience these two brands through a single title.
Nintendo Direct also revealed that Mario and Sonic would join forces in the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, a crossover event that would pair familiar characters with Olympic themed activities. In addition, a selection of SEGA Game Gear titles would be added to the Virtual Console service for the Nintendo 3DS, expanding the portable library for fans and collectors. Together these announcements highlighted Nintendo’s strategy to broaden the Wii U and 3DS ecosystems with cross franchise content and retro offerings that appeal to both veteran gamers and newcomers in North America.
Reggie Fils-Aime, then President and COO of Nintendo of America, voiced strong enthusiasm about the collaboration. He noted that the one time rivalry between Mario and Sonic had grown into a friendship, and that the announcements alongside SEGA demonstrated the company’s commitment to delivering compelling games on the Wii U while laying the groundwork for further reveals at E3. The sentiment resonated with audiences in both nations as fans anticipated trailers, demos, and more information about how these joint efforts would unfold across their favorite Nintendo platforms.
From a North American perspective, the partnership represented a signal of deeper cooperation between two major publishers and a promise of cross platform experiences that could broaden the appeal of Nintendo systems across Canada and the United States. Industry observers and fans asked about how level design might merge the two iconic worlds, whether Mario styled content could appear within Sonic levels, and how the hybrid games would balance accessibility with challenge. Readers in Canada and the United States were invited to share what excites them most about this collaboration in the comments.