Mario Kart Tour to Shut Down Sept. 29 as Nintendo Ends Support
One of Nintendo’s longest-running Mario entries is reaching its final lap. Mario Kart Tour is set to close permanently later this year, leaving players only a few months to keep racing before the game’s online services shut off for good. Sadly, it also looks like there won’t be any fresh routes to keep playing Mario Kart Tour once the servers are gone.
Mario Kart Tour first launched in 2019, bringing the franchise to iOS and Android with touch-based controls, rotating Tours, and collectible drivers, karts, and gliders. The game also leaned into familiar Mario Kart history while adding new stages based on real-world locations. While major updates wrapped up well before this announcement, Mario Kart Tour stayed available and continued supporting its online features—making this a true conclusion for the mobile-only racer.
Nintendo’s latest shutdown news will land for players right as March 2027 begins.
Mario Kart Tour is on its Last Race
After a brief stretch of speculation, Nintendo has now confirmed that Mario Kart Tour will end service on September 29 at 11:00 PM PT (with September 30 in select regions). As the shutdown approaches, Nintendo has already started scaling back premium options and laid out the changes in a fan-facing FAQ:
- Ruby purchases have been stopped immediately.
- Previously acquired Rubies can still be used until the servers close.
- New Gold Pass subscriptions and automatic renewals have been discontinued.
- Players with an active Gold Pass will keep most benefits for free until the end of service. Players without a subscription will begin receiving most Gold Pass benefits for free starting with the Vacation Tour on August 4.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Nintendo also confirmed that players who bought unused paid Rubies will be able to request refunds after the service ends. Free Rubies and any paid currency that has already been spent won’t be eligible. The company says more information about refund steps and account handling will be shared closer to the shutdown date. Unlike Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, which later received an offline alternative via Pocket Camp Complete, Nintendo has not announced any offline version or replacement for Mario Kart Tour. Once online access ends, the game won’t be playable in its current form.
Game shutdowns are becoming more common, particularly for live-service and mobile titles that depend on servers to function. Even though Mario Kart Tour lasted significantly longer than many games in the genre, this closure is another reminder that successful releases still eventually reach the end of their lifecycle. For long-term players, it’s the loss of years of progress, collections, and personal moments—along with any other investment tied to the game. And for anyone who never got around to trying Nintendo’s mobile racer, the window to experience it is tightening quickly.
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as possible.
After nearly seven years on mobile platforms, Mario Kart Tour is preparing to cross the finish line. Players still have until the end of September to spend their Rubies, claim Gold Pass benefits, and race through its roster of Mario Kart tracks. However, Nintendo has now confirmed that the countdown to the game’s permanent shutdown has officially begun.
