Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Nintendo to Shut Down Mario Kart Tour in September

The closure will leave the mobile racer unplayable with no offline replacement and underscores a pullback from maintaining lower-earning live mobile games.

Overview

  • Nintendo announced the game will stop working at 11:00 p.m. Pacific on September 29, 2026, after which Mario Kart Tour will be unplayable.
  • The company immediately stopped ruby sales and has said players can spend existing rubies in the Spotlight Shop, Mii Racing Suit Shop, and Coin Rush until the service ends.
  • Automatic Gold Pass renewals were disabled and current subscribers keep Gold Pass perks until shutdown while all players will get most Gold Pass benefits for free starting August 4 through the end of service.
  • Nintendo confirmed no offline or paid single‑player release is scheduled, unlike the Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp conversion in 2024, so progress and unlocks will not remain playable after servers close.
  • Analysts estimate the app reached roughly 274 million downloads and about $268 million in lifetime revenue, figures that outlets say help explain why Nintendo is narrowing its support for lower‑performing live mobile titles and raises preservation questions about the game's content.