Nintendo Ends Mario Kart Tour on Sept. 29 as $1 Billion Fire Emblem Heroes Survives
Updated
Updated · Polygon · Jul 8
Nintendo Ends Mario Kart Tour on Sept. 29 as $1 Billion Fire Emblem Heroes Survives
3 articles · Updated · Polygon · Jul 8
Summary
Sept. 29 will mark the end of Mario Kart Tour, with Nintendo already halting Ruby sales and Gold Pass auto-renewals for the 2019 mobile racer.
Nintendo gave no offline replacement plan, unlike 2024's Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp transition, though existing subscribers keep Gold Pass perks free until shutdown and all players get them from Aug. 4.
SensorTower estimates Mario Kart Tour generated about $200 million to $300 million over its lifetime, suggesting the game no longer earns enough to justify ongoing updates and maintenance.
The closure adds another title to Nintendo's retired first-wave mobile lineup, while Fire Emblem Heroes still runs after topping $1 billion in revenue and Pikmin Bloom and Super Mario Run remain available.
The move points to a narrower mobile strategy: Nintendo is still releasing smartphone apps, but appears less willing to maintain free-to-play live-service games.