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Considering that Mario Kart 8 is one of the best-selling games on the Nintendo Switch, it isn’t a surprise that Nintendo opened up their Nintendo Switch 2 Direct with news that there is a new Mario Kart game in the works. Mario Kart World is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 and it is opening up a whole new world.

As you’d expect from a new Mario Kart entry, Mario Kart World features bigger and better tracks to explore. Each race will feature a total of 24 racers, the most ever in the series, and it will give players a chance to go off-road for the first time. This makes Mario Kart World the first open-world game in the series, allowing you to fully explore the wacky environments we all know and love from the series. We want to know what is at the bottom of the Rainbow Road and we bet you do too.

The ability to take our racers off-road is something we didn’t know we needed. It unlocks the potential for more creative ways to race and encourages players to find the weirdest, most broken ways to complete a track. If there is one thing that all racing games need, it is the ability to get creative with how we complete tracks. Plus, the ability to explore the world in between races means we can practice all the weird shortcuts we find without feeling rushed.

Mario Kart World is launching with the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025 and is giving the iconic racing series a more open-world feel than it has ever had before.

The gaming industry has come a long way since Pong blew all our minds in the 70s. We've got everything you need to know about the next big thing in games. Of course, Grand Theft Auto VI is going to be the big game of 2026, but there are plenty of other games coming out between now and then. Here is our starter guide for every gamer:

• All upcoming games in 2025 and beyond
• Gamify My Life, our weekly gaming column designed
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• How to play every GTA game in order
• Why the GTA 6 budget isn't as crazy as you think
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And be sure to check Popverse regularly for the latest gaming news.