Look, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe might still be topping video game charts nearly five years after its release, but we can all agree it’s about time for a new entry, right?
After all the beloved racer was originally a Wii U game dating back to 2014. Give us Mario Kart 9, designed for the Switch OLED already, Nintendo!
However, we also know Nintendo is never exactly in a rush with these new first-party games, so reports Mario Kart 9 is “in active development” – with a view to Nintendo teasing it before the year is out – might actually come as a surprise.
The word comes from Kantan Games’ Dr. Serkan Toto, who has made a host of productions for the year in gaming while chatting with GamesIndustry.biz. He even says there’s a “new twist” on the way with Mario Kart 9.
He said: “I am aware Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still selling very well on the Nintendo Switch, but Mario Kart 9 is in active development (and comes with a new twist) and Nintendo could tease it this year.”
Should Nintendo give us a glimpse of the next Mario Kart instalment this year, it’s still likely to be a couple of years away. After all, Nintendo originally announced The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel was at E3 2019. It’s scheduled to come out at some point in 2022, although Nintendo is still to confirm a name for the game, let alone a release date.
Given that logic, we could see Mario Kart 9 around 2024 or 2025, and launch alongside a next-generation Nintendo console.
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Elsewhere in his predictions, Dr. Serkan Toto said it might be time for Nintendo to bring another first-party game to the mobile realm, following the launch of Mario Run and Mario Kart Tour.
He added: “On mobile, Nintendo has been very silent since Mario Kart Tour’s launch in 2019, but I think 2022 is when we will see an established IP arriving on smart devices again.”
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
