Nintendo has announced that their mobile racing game Mario Kart Tour will remove its gacha element in an in-game notification.
Gacha is a gameplay mechanic similar to lootboxes, but with some key differences. Gacha gets its name from gatcha machines, vending machines where you can spend a small amount of money to get a small figure that’s part of a series. Much like real-life gacha machines, gacha in video games gives you in-game items randomly, and these are selected from a pool of items with different levels of value and rarity.
To adhere to Japanese laws, gacha games published in Japan have to disclose their drop rate, AKA the rate at which the gacha mechanic gives out rare items. On top of that, many of these games have a pity system, which gives you a higher chance of getting rare items or will just give you said rare item after you spend a certain amount. Lootboxes do not have pity systems nor are they obliged to reveal their drop rates, but both gameplay systems are designed to be addictive.
Mario Kart Tour is a heavily monetized game, with several systems on top of the gacha mechanic. We have previously reported on its monetization here. This announcement is a culmination of a wave of sudden changes to Nintendo’s mobile strategy, as they have signaled plans to largely move away from the platform, in favor of other business ventures, including their new theme park attractions and a potential movie and video business.
Mario Kart Tour itself was a project between Nintendo EPD, Mario Kart licensee Namco Bandai, and Japanese mobile game developer DeNA. However, as Nintendo had changed gears on their mobile gaming strategy, they had abandoned the deal that made them a shareholder with DeNA, and now are solely responsible for the game’s development. Nintendo even saw it fit to rerelease the many unique tracks they made for Mario Kart Tour and make it DLC for the Nintendo Switch game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. We reported on that DLC here.
It is too early to speculate that Nintendo would be abandoning Mario Kart Tour. The other aspects of the game’s monetization remain intact and are likely to stay as they are or change as best fits Nintendo and the game’s players. To replace the gacha mechanic, Mario Kart Tour will simply have an in-game shop called the Spotlight Shop, launching this coming October 4, 2022. It’s possible that the Spotlight Shop will now have time-limited rarity for its items, including seasonal items. Nintendo has already confirmed that the shop will have new and returning drivers, karts, and gliders.
Nintendo also revealed these changes coming to the game:
- Battle Mode, as seen in the console versions of Mario Kart, will be added to Mario Kart Tour starting October 5, 2022.
- Gold Races, previously only available to Gold Pass subscribers, will be combined with Standard Races. Gold Pass Subscribers will no longer have exclusive Races to them, but can still increase their grade to S and higher.
Source: NintendoLife
