Nintendo will shut down the servers in September. This means that everything that Mario Kart Tour fans have earned in seven years will disappear.
Mario Kart Tour was one of Nintendo’s rare forays into the world of mobile games. Now the switch manufacturer is announcing on X (formerly Twitter) that the racing fun for smartphones will be available on September 30, 2026 is set. The game can then no longer be played.
Mario Kart Tour is finally running out of gas
Mario Kart Tour was released on September 25, 2019 for iOS and Android. After seven years, it’s over now. On the official Nintendo website, the company also makes it clear that it no plans for an offline version that would allow players to continue using their purchased content.
In addition, it is now no longer possible to buy rubies with real money. However, in-game currency that has already been purchased can be used until the end of the service. Players can also find out what happens to existing Gold Pass subscriptions on the support page. From August 5th, the benefits will also be available to all players (Source: Nintendo).
What do Mario Kart fans say?
There’s a lot of anger in the comments on Twitter about Nintendo not offering an offline mode for Mario Kart Tour. Fans complain that they spent money on content that is now disappearing without compensation.
It’s not just Nintendo that is shutting down games
Mario Kart Tour isn’t the first game to be shut down by developers, leaving players out in the cold. For example, Ubisoft finally shut down the racing game MMO The Crew in April 2024.
At the same time, Sony has also raised major concerns about the longevity of games. The PlayStation manufacturer no longer wants to produce game discs from January 2028. This means that games can only be downloaded from the PS Store. If this is switched off at some point, the games will be completely lost.
The actions of Nintendo, Sony, Ubisoft and others make it clear again and again that video games are not forever and that gamers do not own the games themselves.