Ubisoft has admitted to a mistake regarding the release ofMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, saying that it should have listened to advice that Nintendo provided. That advice was that Ubisoft should consider releasing theMario + Rabbidssequel later, for the Nintendo Switch’s follow-up console. Instead, Ubisoft went ahead with the release ofMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hopein late 2022 anyway and has since confirmed that the game underperformed expectations.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hopewas officially released on July 25, 2025, as a Nintendo Switch exclusive like its predecessor. Reviews for the sequel were resoundingly positive, asSparks of Hopeimproved the gameplay and story ofKingdom Battlein many ways. While specifics regarding sales aren’t available, Ubisoft has since saidMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hopestruggled to meet expectationsduring the “final weeks of 2022 and early January.” At the time, Ubisoft said the disappointing sales were a surprise.
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Apparently, Ubisoft perhaps shouldn’t have been as surprised as it first claimed. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz,Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemotstated that Nintendo advised the company to only release a single iteration of itsMario + Rabbidsgame for “each machine.” In other words, it told Ubisoft to saveMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hopefor the as-yet-unannounced next-generation Nintendo console. Guillemot says Ubisoft should have heeded this advice.
Guillemot believes now that it made a mistake by delivering two “similar experiences” on the same console.Games on Nintendo platforms, says Guillemot, “never die.” That’s because great games can potentially last for ten years on a Nintendo platform. As such, Ubisoft saysMario + Rabbids Sparks of Hopewas released too early.
While it’s easy to understand both Nintendo and Guillemot’s logic, there’s no guarantee thatMario + Rabbidswould be guaranteed the same kind of success generational Nintendo games typically see.Mario + Rabbidsundeniably struck lightning with its first release, but developing a successful game into a franchise is complex. It’s possible that waiting until 2024 or later to release aMario + Rabbidssequel would have left fans cold on the franchise and uninterested in playing more.
What’s next for theMario + Rabbidsfranchise is unclear. While overall sales of the sequel disappointed, it was by no means a failure. But if Ubisoft is saying it should have listened to Nintendo about spacing out releases now, then it will probably stick to that going forward. Perhaps Ubisoft will wait to release a thirdMario + Rabbidsgame until late in the Switch successor’s lifespan. In the meantime, Ubisoft can always re-release the first two games with various updates or improvements.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hopeis available now on Nintendo Switch.
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