Mario Kart Tour is heading toward a full shutdown, and Nintendo is not offering an offline version to keep it alive. That means the mobile title’s end in September 2026 will not be a soft wind-down, but a complete termination of the game.
The move marks a clear break from the period when Nintendo was pushing harder into mobile gaming. Mario Kart Tour was one of the company’s biggest mobile releases, but that chapter is now closing as Nintendo shifts its attention elsewhere.
Full shutdown set for 29 September
According to information shared through social media and the support page, as cited by 9to5Google, Mario Kart Tour will be discontinued on Thursday night, 29 September. The game launched in 2019, while content updates stopped in 2023.
Since then, development momentum had already slowed noticeably. The new shutdown date confirms that Nintendo is now moving away from a mobile segment that once played an important role in its broader expansion strategy.
Gold Pass changes begin before the shutdown
Nintendo is also adjusting in-game services ahead of the closure. Players who already subscribe to Gold Pass will no longer be charged, and all players will receive Gold Pass benefits for free starting 4 August 2026.
Ruby will also stop being sold beginning this week. Those changes show that the transition toward the end of service has already started well before the game disappears completely.
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Game | Mario Kart Tour |
| Initial release | 2019 |
| Content updates stopped | 2023 |
| Permanent shutdown | 29 September 2026 |
| Gold Pass becomes free | Starting 4 August 2026 |
| Ruby sales end | Beginning this week |
Attention is shifting to Switch 2
As Mario Kart Tour moves toward its final day, Nintendo is focusing more heavily on Switch 2. The Japanese company is also preparing a new Switch 2 variant for 2027, although not for a larger screen or faster performance.
The new model is being developed to comply with the European Union’s right-to-repair rules, which require battery-powered electronic devices to be easier for users to dismantle or replace. Nintendo said it is preparing products with model numbers beginning with “BEE,” a code linked to Switch 2 hardware, games, and accessories.
Nintendo did not name Switch 2 directly in that announcement, but the “BEE” designation makes the direction of the new product line clear. The device is also expected to carry a different model number and an “OSM” mark on the packaging to distinguish it from the regular European version.
There is still no sign that the easier-to-replace-battery model will be sold in every market. Nintendo has also not said when the new Switch 2 variant will go on sale or how much it will cost.
The plan follows Nintendo’s May price increase for Switch 2 in the European Union, when the console rose from 470 euro to 500 euro. The company said the adjustment was driven by memory costs and changing market conditions.
With Mario Kart Tour nearing its end, Nintendo’s mobile ambitions are giving way to a different hardware focus, and the company’s next moves are now centered on Switch 2 rather than its once-prominent mobile lineup.
