In Nintendo’s latest earnings briefing, the company reported new sales figures for its most popular games. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has reached a new milestone, with over 50 million copies sold to date. As of March 31, 2023, the game had sold 53.79 million copies globally, up from 48.4 million units sold in November 2022. It’s important to note that these figures include copies sold through hardware bundles. The game’s success is unsurprising, as it’s widely regarded as a fantastic game that can be recommended to anyone.
Mario Kart 8’s Continued Dominance
The success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is even more impressive when compared to the sales figures of previous games in the series. For instance, the Wii U version of the game sold 8.46 million copies, whereas both versions of the game (as mentioned earlier) have sold a total of 62.25 million units. Additionally, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has surpassed the sales figures of other best-selling Mario Kart titles like Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii, and Mario Kart 7.
Nintendo has made additional profit from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe beyond game sales alone. The company sells the Booster Course Pass ($25), which comes with 48 DLC courses. To date, 32 DLC courses have been added, and 16 more will come by the end of 2023.
The continued success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bodes well for the series’ future. Reports indicate that Mario Kart 9 is currently in development, with some sort of “new twist.” Fans can only speculate as to what that could mean.
Best-Selling Switch Games
Beyond Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the list of best-selling Switch games includes:
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 42.21 million
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – 31.09 million
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – 29.89 million
- Pokemon Sword/Shield – 25.82 million
- Super Mario Odyssey – 25.76 million
- Pokemon Scarlet/Violet – 22.10 million
- Super Mario Party – 19.14 million
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe – 15.41 million
- Ring Fit Adventure – 15.38 million
While these games have not reached the same level of success as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, they are still considered major successes for Nintendo. These games have helped contribute to the continued success and popularity of the Switch console.
Switch Sales Slowing Down
Despite the success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and other Switch games, Nintendo reported that Switch sales are slowing down as the console enters its seventh year on the market.
However, the company is set to receive a boost with the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on May 12. The game is one of the most anticipated releases of the year.
Conclusion
The continued success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a testament to the quality of the game and the love fans have for the series. While the future of the series is unclear, the upcoming release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is sure to bring new life to the Switch.
