Mario Kart Tour gets final update in October 2023

Mario Kart Tour will get its final update in October 2023, Nintendo and DeNA have confirmed. Four years after launch, the popular mobile title will no longer get new content updates, and while live service will continue on a seasonal basis, these seasons will recycle previously added game content.

The news was shared via an in-game message confirming that beyond the game’s latest tour – which kicks off on 20 September 2023 – “no new courses, drivers, karts, or gliders will be added.” Despite this, Nintendo and DeNA shared hopes that players will continue to enjoy Mario Kart Tour in the months to come.

For now, it appears there are no plans to shutter live service.

While the end of new content is not unexpected, it will likely be disappointing for long-term players of Mario Kart Tour. Over the last four years, the title has received considerable support, with an array of high-quality tracks, new racers, and new items, launching on a regular basis.

Read: Mario Kart Tour gacha mechanics set for removal

Many of the game’s original tracks eventually made their way over to the best-selling Nintendo Switch game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – which arguably had an impact on Tour, as fresh tracks were no longer a unique draw. It’s expected that the final wave of extra DLC content for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will introduce even more of Tour‘s best tracks, potentially pulling even more players out of the mobile ecosystem.

As noted by VGC, the decision to sunset new content for Mario Kart Tour likely relates to a wider Nintendo move away from mobile games. While the company briefly flirted with the mobile games industry, it has pulled away in recent years, shuttering a number of titles including Dragalia Lost and Dr. Mario World.

In October 2022, the company also made the decision to remove chance-based gacha mechanics from Mario Kart Tour, largely due to player dissatisfaction and controversy. The move was welcomed, but reportedly led to a US $1 million loss in monthly earnings for the game – which may have contributed to the decision to cease new content drops.

For now, players can continue to enjoy new content in Mario Kart Tour, and returning seasons as they roll out in the coming months. But with fresh content ceasing in October 2023, there will be fewer reasons to hop onto the mobile racetrack.