With Mario Kart 8 launching on Wii U over seven years ago, and then Mario Kart 8 Deluxe releasing on Switch in 2017, we’ve been waiting a very long time for an all-new release in the leading karting series.
Now it seems Nintendo is working on a sequel, thanks to Japanese gaming market consultant and advisor for Kantran Games, Dr. Serkan Toto.
In an industry 2022 predictions article on GamesIndustry.biz, Toto claims that Nintendo will announce Mario Kart 9 this year.
“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,” the Tokyo-based Kantran CEO teased.
What that ‘new twist’ will be is beyond us at this point – perhaps you control it with a Ring-Con? Let us know your theories in the comments below.
Toto’s mention of a tease this year also suggests, if correct, that the next Mario kart won’t necessarily release this year, before we get too carried away. It’s also worth noting that there isn’t a statement from Nintendo directly about this matter at this stage.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe regularity tops sales charts to this day, and recently was top of the table once more as an aggressively prices Switch and MK8D bundle at Black Friday helped uptake. Switch users are currently spoilt for choice when it comes to Mario Kart titles, as the N64 release recently arrived via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack.
That’s all the information and speculation we have, for now. One line from an esteemed market analyst. There’s no guarantee Mario Kart 9 will happen – but that’s not stopping us from getting excited.
