Mario Kart Tour updates end next month
Smartphone racer Mario Kart Tour will receive its final content update next month on 4th October, Nintendo has announced.
After that date, the game will remain playable — and simply recycle content already in the game.
Mario Kart Tour originally launched for iPhone and Android devices four years ago, back in September 2019, and soon became one of Nintendo's most lucrative mobile launches.
Controversially, Mario Kart Tour included a gacha-style system where players pulled on Mushroom Kingdom warp pipes for a chance at unlocking new characters and kart pieces. But, after three years, Nintendo finally removed this feature in 2022, and replaced it with an in-game item shop.
«From 10/4/23, tours will consist of content from tours that have appeared before,» Nintendo wrote in an in-game message (thanks, Oatmealdome).
«Note: No new courses, drivers, karts or gliders will be added following the Battle Tour starting 10/4/23. We hope you continue to enjoy playing Mario Kart Tour.»
Mario Kart Tour's most recent tracks have been developed alongside Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's Booster Course Pass for Nintendo Switch. The last of those are due to arrive before the end of 2023 — so it makes sense that both games are wrapping up their content production together.
Nintendo has launched a handful of mobile games since the arrival of its first proper app Miitomo in 2016. But some of these have now shut down completely — including Miitomo, Dr Mario World and Dragalia Lost — leaving just Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and Mario Kart Tour standing.
The only Nintendo mobile game launched since 2019 is Pikmin Bloom, a collaboration project with Pokémon Go developer Niantic.
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