While very little is still known at this point, Nintendo has confirmed via a tweet from the company’s official Twitter account that its next mobile game will be a new entry in the popular Mario Kart racing franchise.
The tweet, which was posted this evening, states that the game is set to be called Mario Kart Tour. Nintendo also confirmed that the title will be released sometime during “fiscal year ending March 2019.” It’s unclear if the game will be available on both Android and iOS.
There were no details exactly how the game will play, but given Mario Kart is one of Nintendo’s most recognizable franchises, it makes sense for the series to be the company’s next mobile release.
The checkered flag has been raised and the finish line is near. A new mobile application is now in development: Mario Kart Tour! #MarioKartTour Releasing in the fiscal year ending in March 2019. pic.twitter.com/8GIyR7ZM4z
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 1, 2018
The company’s last mobile title was Animal Crossing Pocket Camp, a parred down take on the Animal Crossing formula. Rumours have also been circulating for a few months now that Nintendo is working on a mobile entry in the Zelda franchise.
The latest entry in the Mario Kart franchise is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch, a re-release of Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U.
Nintendo originally planned to release five smartphones by 2017, but only Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp and the now dead social network Miitomo, were released during that time period.
This news comes as Nintendo recently revealed impressive Switch sales numbers. In less than a year, the Switch has outsold the Wii U, the hybrid console’s ill-fated predecessor, selling 14 million systems worldwide since its launch.
