Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Mario Kart Tour microtransactions land Nintendo in legal trouble

Nintendo is facing a new lawsuit over its previous implementation of microtransactions in the mobile game Mario Kart Tour.

Mario Kart Tour first launched on iOS and Android in 2019 and used to have a loot box-like system where players could spend real money to activate Spotlight Pipes, which had undisclosed odds of granting players useful items and upgrades. Nintendo removed Spotlight Pipes from Mario Kart Tour in a September 2022 update, but Axios reports that a new class-action lawsuit has been filed against Nintendo over its previous implementation of them in the game.

Recommended Videos

The suit calls the mobile game’s microtransactions “immoral” and is based on the belief that the game was intentionally difficult to progress in without spending money. Its plaintiff believes this “capitalized on and encouraged addictive behaviors akin to gambling” in all players, specifically the minors that’d be interested in trying a Mario Kart game on mobile, with them having spent $170 on those microtransactions. As such, it suit is demanding Nintendo issue refunds to all minors who spent money on Spotlight Pipes when they were available in Mario Kart Tour.

The loot box-like style of microtransactions that used to be present in Mario Kart Tour was fairly common in a lot of games with microtransactions. That said, it has fallen out of favor in recent years thanks to increased scrutiny from regulators and lawsuits like this that argue the undisclosed odds tied to these systems are too similar to gambling. As such, microtransactions in many recent games tend to be more direct or actively disclose what players will get once they spend money.

Nintendo seemed to be aware of this when it removed Spotlight Pipes from Mario Kart Tour last year, but that clearly wasn’t enough for this plaintiff. Nintendo has not commented on this lawsuit, but it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on how this plays out.

Tomas Franzese
A former Gaming Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Tomas Franzese now reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
Nintendo just landed a huge console exclusive for Switch and Switch 2
Hades 2 key art from its first trailer.

Supergiant just confirmed Hades 2 will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 consoles at launch, though it will come to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series at a later date. Supergiant broke the news in the latest Creator's Voice at Nintendo, where studio leads Greg Kasavin, Amir Rao, and Darren Korb spoke about the development process and what inspired the new gameplay elements in the sequel.

Hades 2 is the studio's first-ever sequel and a direct follow-up to its predecessor, a game that took home numerous Game of the Year awards. Until now, all of its games have been one-offs like Bastion and Transistor. "After more than 15 years, we decided to try one," Kasavin said. "We approach sequels with a great deal of fear and respect," he added with a laugh.

Read more
I played 11 Nintendo Switch 2 games. Here’s what I thought of each
Bowser in Mario Kart World.

It's been a whirlwind week for Nintendo fans. On Wednesday, the company fully lifted the lid on the Nintendo Switch 2 with a perfectly executed Direct presentation. That moment of elation gave way to anxiety as players sorted through the console's controversial new pricing strategy. Then came complete panic as President Donald Trump's freshly announced tariffs on foreign imports caused Nintendo to postpone preorders for the system in the United States. You can't blame Nintendo fans for feeling a little stressed out right now.

The saving grace of all this is that the Switch 2 is still slated to launch on June 5 and it's bringing a ton of exciting games along with it. At a press event on Wednesday, I went hands-on with nearly a dozen Switch 2 games, from first-party heavy-hitters to Switch 2 Editions of old favorites. I've posted my impressions of several games throughout the week, but for the sake of ease, I'm rounding them all up in one place. Curious about just how good Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is? How does it feel to drive a wheelchair around with mouse controls? Is Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour really worth a few bucks? You can find all those answers right here.

Read more
The Switch 2’s higher prices won’t hurt its chances at success, analysts say
Bowser in Mario Kart World.

The most controversial thing about Nintendo Switch 2 has been its price tag. While a Nintendo Switch console costs $300 and its first-party games are (typically) $60, the Switch 2 hikes that price way up. The console will cost $450, while games will range in price from $70 to $80 in the United States, depending on the game in question. Fans did not take kindly to the news when the prices were revealed following the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. Is there a chance that those angry voices could hurt Nintendo's bottom line?

For insight, I consulted game industry analysts at firms like Omdia and Alinea Analytics. While there are certainly concerns over Switch 2 pricing certain people out of it, analysts still seem confident that the console and its games will perform well. They believe that Nintendo is pricing the console and the games its way because it knows its hardcore fans will still be interested in buying them at that price and want to remain financially conservative as we enter an unprecedented time with the United States' harsh new tariffs.

Read more