It's been a minute since the X Games held a snowmobiling competition, one of the brand's founding disciplines. Years, in fact, have gone by since we've been treated to the sound of two-stroke turbo sleds shredding powder and throwing down tricks that blow your mind. But, thankfully, that famine will be coming to an end, as the X Games have announced that snowmobiles are back for 2026.
Announced via the games' social media, the 2026 winter event in Aspen, Colorado, will see the return of snowmobiles to the lineup. According to the post, "You've been asking. We listened. The return of snowmobiles is coming to #XGamesAspen2026! Get ready for action you won’t see anywhere else." The X Games' post also tagged snowboarding legend Levi Lavallee for good measure.
There will be two separate events at the January event, including Snowmobile Speed & Style, and Freestyle. The event will be heading to Aspen's Buttermilk Mountain for the setup, and tickets are already on sale.
But the announcement is not without its controversy, as the X Games as a whole is going through a rebrand, and fans and commentators are divided about the direction.
Ahead of the snowmobile announcement, the company released a document stating, "X Games Goes All In” On The Future Of Action Sports," adding that it was bring in a "New visual identity, X Games League, AI judging, sports betting, and global expansion mark the dawn of a new era." Much of this has rubbed both fans and athletes the wrong way, especially the AI judging of it all.
Speaking in the press release, X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom, stated, "X Games has always been where outsiders became icons and impossible became possible. We’re staying true to that DNA—pushing limits, celebrating individuality, and challenging the status quo—but we’re also reimagining what’s next. This is more than a rebrand. This is the future of sports. And our athletes and partners are ALL IN."
But the whole rebrand comes at a time when the X Games has seen its attendance and demand for attention fall in recent years. Gone are the days of the late '90s and early aughts when the X Games was at its height, where my generation consumed everything the company put out. But in today's social media-focused society, it's become harder for action sports to break through the fold when regular accounts are doing what used to only be seen at the X Games.
As for snowmobiles returning, I'm stoked, but I'm an aging millennial who grew up watching those athletes shred the slopes. As for everything else, I share my concerns about the future of the business. And do we really want AI judging? I don't. Get Burandt and Martin in there to judge.
