Nintendo has officially announced that Mario Kart Tour will shut down later this year, marking the end of one of its biggest mobile gaming projects. The company confirmed that service for the smartphone racing game will end on September 29, 2026, at 11:00 p.m. PT, after which the title will no longer be playable.
Unlike Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, which received a standalone paid version following the end of its online service, Nintendo says there are no plans for an offline edition of Mario Kart Tour.
The announcement brings an end to nearly seven years of service for the game, which debuted on iOS and Android in September 2019. Since its launch, Mario Kart Tour has introduced real-world-inspired tracks, seasonal events, collectible drivers, karts, and gliders, helping it become one of Nintendo’s most recognizable mobile releases.
Nintendo confirms Mario Kart Tour will permanently go offline
In its official end-of-service notice, Nintendo thanked fans for supporting the game throughout its lifespan.
“We sincerely thank the many players who have loved and supported the game since service began so long ago. Thank you for playing Mario Kart Tour.”
The company also confirmed that Ruby purchases have already ended, although players can continue spending any remaining Rubies in the Spotlight Shop, Mii Racing Suit Shop, and Coin Rush until the servers are switched off.
Nintendo additionally announced changes to the game’s premium Gold Pass subscription. Automatic renewals and new subscriptions stopped during maintenance on July 7, 2026. Existing subscribers will continue receiving most Gold Pass benefits free of charge until the game shuts down, while players without an active subscription will gain free access to those benefits beginning with the Vacation Tour on August 4, 2026.
According to Nintendo, eligible benefits include Gold Gifts, Gold Challenges, 200cc races, increased daily rewards, faster multiplayer progression, and higher multiplayer rank limits. However, continuous-subscription bonuses are no longer available.
Mario Kart Tour joins Nintendo’s growing list of discontinued mobile games
Mario Kart Tour launched on September 25, 2019, during Nintendo’s major push into smartphone gaming. The title stood out by featuring courses inspired by cities around the world alongside classic Mario Kart tracks, while regularly introducing themed tours and new character variants.
Its closure adds another name to Nintendo’s growing list of discontinued mobile games, including Miitomo, Dr. Mario World, Dragalia Lost, and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. However, several mobile projects remain active, including Fire Emblem Heroes, Pikmin Bloom, and Super Mario Run.
Industry analysts believe the shutdown reflects Nintendo’s evolving mobile strategy rather than a complete withdrawal from smartphone gaming.
Why Nintendo may be moving away from live-service mobile games
While Nintendo did not provide a detailed explanation for ending Mario Kart Tour, the decision comes as the company appears to be shifting away from maintaining long-running free-to-play live-service titles.
According to an analysis by Polygon, Mario Kart Tour was commercially successful but never reached the same level as Fire Emblem Heroes, which remains Nintendo’s highest-grossing mobile game. Industry estimates cited by the publication suggest Mario Kart Tour generated approximately $200–300 million during its lifetime, whereas Fire Emblem Heroes has reportedly surpassed $1 billion in revenue.
The outlet also noted that Nintendo’s more recent smartphone releases have focused on smaller-scale experiences instead of continuously updated live-service games. That trend suggests the company may now prefer mobile projects requiring fewer long-term development resources.
Although Mario Kart Tour’s online races will soon come to an end, the game leaves behind a significant legacy as Nintendo’s first dedicated Mario Kart experience built exclusively for mobile devices.
