Nintendo will cease adding new content to Mario Kart Tour starting October 4th.
As spotted by Twitter X user @OatmealDome, Japanese gaming giant quietly made the announcement via an in-game update, which reads as follows:
“From 10/04/2023 (Wed) on, tours will consist of content from tours that have appeared before. Note: No new courses, drivers, karts, or gliders will be added following the Battle Tour starting 10/04/2023 (Wed). We hope you continue to enjoy playing Mario Kart Tour.”
This comes four years after the mobile game launched in September 2019 and numerous content updates in the months ever since. However, the free-to-play title was met with controversy for having excessive ‘gacha’ monetization practices, meaning players who paid real money would only receive randomized racers, karts and gliders. Nintendo eventually removed the gacha mechanics three years later.
In general, Nintendo’s presence in the mobile space has waned in recent years. In 2016, the company debuted Super Mario Run, a 2D Mario game spearheaded by series creator Shigeru Miyamoto. However, mobile gamers accustomed to “free” titles pushed back against Run‘s premium pricing model, which offered the first few levels free while the remaining content could be unlocked by paying a one-time fee.
Nintendo followed that in 2017 with the free-to-play Fire Emblem Heroes, which let players spend real money to unlock in-game resources. That game has been far more successful, topping $1 billion in revenue in 2022 and continuing to go strong.
Otherwise, Nintendo’s other mobile titles haven’t made a significant splash, with 2016’s Miitomo, 2018’s Dragalia Lost and 2019’s Dr. Mario World all getting shut down within a few years of launch. For now, Nintendo continues to support Heroes, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and its most recent mobile title, Pikmin Bloom.
Outside of mobile, Nintendo continues to support the Switch’s massively popular Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with new paid courses. Mario himself is also set to have a big fall, with Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the plumber’s first new 2D game in a decade, hitting the Switch in October. For more on that game, check our preview and interview with the creators.
Additionally, a remake of the beloved SNES game Super Mario RPG and a new WarioWare title called Move It! are landing on the Switch in November.
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