Mario Kart Tour Ending Could Hint at Mario Kart 9 Plans

With Mario Kart Tour updates ending next month, is Nintendo preparing a new game?

By Marc Deschamps

Mario Kart Tour will no longer be getting new content starting next month. In an update posted in the app, the Mario Kart Tour team notes that "from 10/04/2023 (Wed) on, tours will consist of content from tours that have appeared before." As such, "no new courses, drivers, karts, or gliders will be added following the Battle Tour," which is set to begin that same day. Once the Battle Tour has wrapped, players can expect a Halloween Tour starting October 18th, which will feature content that has previously been made available.

The ending of new content for Mario Kart Tour is sure to disappoint players, but it's not all that surprising; with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass DLC wrapping later this year, some had already predicted an end was in sight for Mario Kart Tour. The Booster Course Pass has been a way for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe players to experience tracks previously exclusive to the mobile game. With just one more DLC wave for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the way, it's likely Nintendo is shifting focus towards the future.

Mario Kart 9

The original version of Mario Kart 8 released in 2014 on Wii U, eventually making its way to Nintendo Switch in 2017 as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Between both versions, Mario Kart 8 has become one of the best-selling video games of all-time, and has had a huge impact on the Mario franchise as a whole. Topping Mario Kart 8 will be a difficult task, but the series will be a major priority if a new Nintendo console truly is set to release in 2024, as reports have suggested. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been the Nintendo Switch's best-selling game, so it's likely that a sequel will come sometime around the next system's launch.

One Mario Game Per System

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(Photo: Nintendo)

In the Switch era, Nintendo has mostly stuck to releasing just one version of each Mario game, in order to drive long-term sales. This has resulted in just one Mario Golf, one Mario Tennis, and one Mario Strikers on Switch. In addition to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo did release Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit in 2020, though that was significantly different from a "traditional" Mario Kart game.

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While that policy has never been outright stated to the public, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot revealed earlier this year that Nintendo suggested that a sequel to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle be held until the company's next system, as Nintendo tends to avoid releasing similar Mario games on the same platform. Instead, Ubisoft released Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope on Nintendo Switch, where it has underperformed expectations. Once a new Nintendo system is revealed, it's a safe bet we'll see some kind of Mario Kart announcement quickly. Until then, fans will just have to continue to enjoy Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart Tour.

Are you disappointed that Mario Kart Tour will no longer receive new content? Do you think Mario Kart 9 will launch with Nintendo's next system? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

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