Mario Kart Tour continues to be a huge success for Nintendo, surpassing two major milestones in its quest to become one of the world's highest-earning mobile racers.
According to new data from Sensor Tower, the title has now surpassed 200 million downloads worldwide and has accumulated more than $200 million in player spending. Over the past year (1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021), the game was Nintendo's second highest-earning mobile release; Fire Emblem Heroes beat it with $163.4 million in that time, compared to Mario Kart Tour's $92.7 million.
Of course, the game had a cracking start right from the off, generating a whopping 20 million downloads on launch day and more than 100 million after its first month. Things have been a little more steady since then, but its continued success means that Mario Kart Tour was the fourth highest-earning mobile racing game over the past year, only being beaten by KartRider Rush+, Tencent's QQ Speed, and CSR Racing 2.
It's easy to see how the app has generated the income it has – players can opt into a regular $4.99 per month subscription to the game's Gold Pass for additional in-game content, and optional packs have cost eye-watering amounts of money over the game's lifetime.
Do you play Mario Kart Tour? Are you subscribed to the monthly Gold Pass? Let us know in the usual place.
[source sensortower.com]
Comments 45
Do you think that there making all the new tracks in this game, and then for the next main switch console they will make mario kart deluxe with all the past tacks? (A man can dream.)
I quit Mario Kart Tour after the first six weeks. The core gameplay was fun, but if I had to spend money on Rubies to get the most out of the game, I knew it wouldn’t be worth my time. I almost never play mobile games, and Mario Kart Tour reminded me why.
@Snatcher
That just wouldn't work. A lot of the tracks are similar and won't feel special if all tracks are in it.
I tried it but for me it's just not fun playing Mario Kart with a touch screen or tilt controls. 😐
Why do people spend so much on a mobile game?
Maybe Dragalia Lost would be doing better if it wasn't avaible only on a handful of countries..?
I started playing this during the last Tour, and I actually quite like it. I do 4-6 races a day (a couple in the morning with breakfast, and a couple during lunch break at work), and that's enough to clear all the Cups & earn your guaranteed High End reward well before the Tour is over.
In spite of all the offers I don't think it's too bad about pressuring you for money, since it doesn't look like it's possible to run into a difficulty spike/wall since you choose your own difficulty & there's no stamina system in place.
I guess Pokemon Go doesn't count.
I think Nintendo sees Mario Kart Tour as a decent success, however they probably expected much success from it due to the Mario Kart name. I just hope that they're still working on a Mario Kart 9.
I'm just glad that I'm not one of those who spent money on this. I'm staying far, far away from this unholy Mario Kart game.
I just love that FE Heroes is doing so well even though I don’t play it. Anything to keep FE in the consumer mindshare is a plus to me.
So it's like if every player spent about $1...that doesn't seem great for a mobile game? Maybe it is...I dunno. I wish Dragalia wasn't a mobile only title...
I think I'm finally starting to accept that this is likely the closest we'll be getting to a "Mario Kart 9" any time soon.
Y'know, for a strategy involved in promoting their home software, I think this has been rather successful. If the mobile games were out and out smash hits, it could have had a detrimental effect on their key business. Hmm...
I never even got Mario Kart 8, but can I just say that they better be working on 9. I would probably buy it day 1! I know most people on this site would. But at this point we won't be getting another until the next console, whether it be a pro, two, or something entirely new.
I've played lots of MK Tour but I've never spent a dime on it. I will never understand why someone would want to spend so much money on simple things like new characters or cars that you can eventually unlock by just playing.
I totally forgot that this game even existed...
@Clyde_Radcliffe I'm using tilt controls! Every online game in MK8DX lol
Mario kart is my thing.
I play it
I love it
Great game for a smartphone
None of that money is from me, but I've been playing since day one and having a blast! 😁
Would be happy to redownload this one if they ever add gamepad support. Til then, I'll have to pass 😕
@Sandro89 These are only Nintendo published and developed titles so wouldn't be included here. I think Pokemon Go probably earns more revenue than all these titles combined!
Much as I love Mario Kart, this never clicked for me. I like the challenge levels, but the constantly changing cycles of tours always felt like my progress was being stolen from me.
Much preferred Dr Mario, more so than the last “proper” one on 3DS, so it’s disappointing to see that underperforming so much.
@AndyC_MK That's what I'm saying. The point of their mobile initiative was to build Switch and software sales. It surely must have had some impact. Maybe we will get more at the investors meezzzzzz huh? Opps, bored myself to sleep for a moment lol
@Ogbert agreed so hard. Just make a switch port, would be so nice and easy. My nintendo account is already linked. (Same for the other games on this chart)
What great luck.
The city tracks look great. Wish they'd come to console.
@GrailUK
Pokemon Go was a gigantic success from Day 1, and it had a hugely positive impact on Nintendo's core business upon release: all 3DS Pokemon games got a big sales boost, Sun/Moon became the fastest-selling game in series history at the time (only to be surpassed by Sword/Shield), and the 3DS itself got a bit of a hardware sales boost despite being long in the tooth by 2016.
If Mario Kart Tour was as big as Pokemon Go, there is a good chance Mario Kart 8 DX would be closing in at 40 million copies sold by now (rather than "only" 35 million lol).
@westman98 Hahah. That's a good point. However, (and feel free to correct me if I am wrong) but you are trying to say a full fat Mario Kart on Mobile would have a positive effect on Mario Kart on Switch. Not too sure I agree with you there. Pokemon Go was it's own thing. As is Mario Tour. So without spending days thinking about it, which we all have better things to be doing, I can't agree I'm afraid. It's not 'like for like' enough for me (if you get me)
Rip Mario Kart 9. The zoomers raised on smartphones and tablets control the market now
It is the only mobile game I play weekly, although I only do the tours and not the online mode. They give away enough rubies to get something new every two weeks, so I've never spent a dollar. I like it alot!
@GrailUK
No, I'm saying that a successful mobile iteration of a game series can directly translate to stronger sales for mainline games on dedicated game platforms.
I didn't mention directly porting 3DS or Switch games to mobile - Nintendo has ruled out porting existing games to mobile, so that will never happen.
@TheBigK
Is this a parody?
Mario Kart 8 DX has generated ~$2 billion and is still selling multiple millions to this day. There is absolutely no way there won't be a Mario Kart 9.
I wish they put all the work they put into this into a new Mario Kart for the Switch.
I've recently played Mario Kart Tour for a bit, and to be honest, I didn't like it. I thought the controls were awful...I kept missing coins left and right. It was just not fun playing like this. I ain't spending money on this, that's for sure...I'd rather play the other games, thank you.
With that said, I like the multiple costumes for each character, and the remixed retro tracks are pretty all right. It's a shame that the game turned out pretty bad for me though.
@westman98 Yeah, so you mean an iteration. Pokemon Go! isn't strictly speaking an iteration. It was it's own phenomonon that captured people's imagination. But I can't see why someone playing an iteration of a game on mobile would buy a home console if they are already being perfectly serviced with what they have. I don't get it. Of course Nintendo want their mobile games to succeed, but they also have to make folk think they want to play the real thing so to speak. I'm sure an iteration would have a direct impact on home console sales, like you say. I'm just not convinced it would be a positive one. Their mobile games need to have some differentiation rather than iteration. (Maybe)
wow. i stopped playing kuz it's no fun if you can't actually control the kart like past games.
@GrailUK
Well yeah, the lack of physical controls on mobile alone will force Nintendo to differentiate their Switch and mobile games.
Again, no one is implying that Nintendo should port their old or upcoming Switch games to mobile. Mario Kart 9 - whenever it comes out - will be a Switch/Switch 2 game, while Tour will continue to be the only Mario Kart game on mobile.
@AndyC_MK I have over 200 rubies stacked so I went for it. Not the best player but I pulled him with 10 rubies so I was super lucky
It's a great Mario Kart and one of the best mobile games I have played.
Oh and for all the haters and whiners that still cry to date.
@DK-Fan My guy, you do realize that Satoru Iwata himself was against the idea of Nintendo going to mobile to, right?
Would you classify him as a hater as well?
https://gamerant.com/satoru-iwata-nintendo-mobile/
$200mm is about like selling 3-4 million of a regular game. Glad to see some of the other games doing well too.
I have 138 rubies stored. It’s not a bad time killer. I kinda like having some Nintendo on the iPad/ phone for when I don’t have access to the Switch. It has some elements that I hope make it to the next iteration. More characters and costumes. I like the bonus mini games and also hope they include real world tracks.
@westman98 yeah I'm having a bad day and just taking it out by making ****head comments on here. I have no life, I assure you.
I'm really not one to wish for failure of other people. But I don't like mobile gaming and I honestly don't really want mobile gaming to do as well as it does. I really really don't like the affect it's had on the industry as a whole.
You gotta be kidding me.
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