Nintendo has announced that its Mario Kart Tour mobile game has run its race in another sign the company’s reluctant commitment to the smartphone realm is waning.
The gaming giant says the iOS and Android game will cease to receive new content beginning next month. Mario Kart was long considered a holy grail for mobile gamers, and its release was a major concession by Nintendo, which has traditionally kept its crown jewel franchises exclusively on homegrown hardware.
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The last piece of new content for the game will arrive on October 4, which will be the launch of the Battle Tour. Prior to that, a new Anniversary Tour will begin on September 20.
“No new courses, drivers, karts, or gliders will be added following the Battle Tour starting 04/10/2023,” Nintendo told players with an in-game message (via VCG) “We hope you continue to enjoy playing Mario Kart Tour.”
After that, all subsequent tours will have appeared before. Nintendo says it hopes players to continue to enjoy the game despite the absence of new content. That suggests the company will keep the game active and take care of any bugs. Mario Kart Tour has been around for four years now, so it has enjoyed a really good run since its opriginal launch in September 2019.
Nintendo has, more recently, been focused on bolstering the downloadable content for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which has enjoyed a renaissance since the company bolstered the Switch Online membership to include an Expansion Pack.
Recent reports also suggest Mario Kart 9 is ‘in active developement’ and it could be a flagship release for the forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console.
