Mario Kart 9 could be the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch title, leaker claims

All eyes are on Nintendo as we eagerly await the Nintendo Switch 2’s arrival, but what games will the brand-new handheld have ready to dazzle players at launch? While Nintendo remains quiet on the sidelines, recent rumors surrounding the handheld don’t just delve into the console’s appearance, but claim that Mario Kart 9 will be available upon the Nintendo Switch 2’s release.

Of course, with any rumor regarding the Nintendo Switch 2 we advise heavy pinches of salt. However, according to leaker ‘NextHandheld’ on the console’s subreddit, they allege to have gotten their hands on the console ahead of any official announcement. While the leaker refuses to share previews of Nintendo Switch 2 with the public, a moderator for the subreddit has privately corresponded with NextHandheld to verify the authenticity of their claims.

“This person sent me the evidence that they apparently can not share openly yet […] even though they sent the evidence to me through DMs, they still had to be up and down convinced that I would not share the evidence with anyone,” explains Reddit moderator ‘MacksNotCool’. Crucially, the moderator adds that NextHandheld “said that they did not turn on the system. They can only answer hardware questions.” The leaker promises to reveal more about the console’s hardware on December 25, 2025, but in the meantime purports that a new Switch game will kick off the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch next year.

NextHandheld teases that “the number nine is in the title” of the game, leading many players to speculate that Mario Kart 9 is on the horizon. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe still remains the best-selling title for the Nintendo Switch, with over 64 million copies sold since its initial release in 2017. The racing game would go on to appear in a Nintendo Switch bundle shortly after, making it a logical choice for the yet-to-be-announced sequel to potentially follow suit.

Although we would welcome another addition to the Mario Kart series, fellow Nintendo leaker ‘Samus Hunter’ suggests that the teased title isn’t a Mario Kart game, but possibly a Final Fantasy game instead. In a recent post on social media addressing NextHandheld’s Reddit thread, they express that “many aspects related to the hardware match with what has already been circulating for months, the information however about the game with the 9 is not Mario Kart, it is not targeting as a launch title.”

Additionally, they say that “there is however the Final Fantasy IX Remake that will be coming out, although I have no information on a possible bundle or limited edition at the moment.” Could a cheeky Mario Kart 9 announcement be on the cards? After seven years, we certainly hope so.

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