Nintendo to Shut Down Mario Kart Tour Mobile Game

Nintendo has announced the end of the road for its popular mobile game, Mario Kart Tour, with the service set to be discontinued on September 30, 2026. The game, launched in September 2019, allowed players to race on various circuits inspired by real-world cities and iconic Mario Kart locations.

Since its debut, Mario Kart Tour has achieved significant success, surpassing 200 million downloads by 2021. It represented Nintendo's first major foray into adapting the beloved Mario Kart franchise for smartphones, employing a free-to-play model with in-app purchases for karts, drivers, and cosmetic items. The game's design featured simplified controls and a scoring system focused on maximizing performance per race, alongside a mix of classic and new tracks.

In its final months, Nintendo is providing players with increased in-game rewards to help them complete their collections. While new purchases of the "Gold Pass" subscription and in-game currency "rubies" are no longer available, existing benefits will be accessible for free starting August 5. Player statistics will remain viewable on the official game website until January 13, 2027, with inter-cup ranking information available until the end of September 2027.

The discontinuation of Mario Kart Tour reflects the ongoing costs associated with maintaining live-service mobile games, even as their popularity wanes. This move follows Nintendo's earlier mobile release, Super Mario Run, which adopted a different, paid model.