Mario Kart Tour’s Final Lap: Nintendo Ends Mobile Game Service September 29

Nintendo will shut down Mario Kart Tour on September 29 at 11 p.m. Pacific time, ending the mobile racer’s seven-year run. The announcement was posted on social media, with the company thanking players for their support. The game originally launched in September 2019 and was one of several Nintendo titles created for smartphones, according to IGN and Gamespot.

2 sources

gamespotMario Kart Tour Will Be Unplayable After Nintendo Shuts It Down In SeptemberIGNNintendo Confirms Mario Kart Tour Shutdown After 7 Years, No Offline Version Offered

Most of Nintendo’s mobile games have already been discontinued, but Mario Kart Tour proved especially lucrative by employing controversial gacha mechanics to keep players engaged. Kotaku noted that the game had been winding down for nearly three years with minimal updates. “The competitive online racing game, once a mobile success story for Nintendo, is coming to a definitive end,” Kotaku reported.

kotakuMario Kart Tour to Shut Down Permanently on September 29

“We sincerely thank the many players who have loved and supported the game since service began so long ago,” Nintendo wrote in an update, as reported by Gamespot. “Thank you for playing Mario Kart Tour.” Neither Nintendo nor the update offered an offline version of the game, according to IGN and Metro, meaning the title will become completely unplayable after the shutdown date.

MetroThe worst Mario Kart game is shutting down very soon

Metro described Mario Kart Tour as “the worst Mario Kart game” in its report on the closure. The game’s end comes just after its seventh birthday, as Nintendo shifts focus away from its mobile lineup.