Nintendo has just launched Mario Kart Tour, the free to play Mario Kart mobile game, which is already causing a stir on social media, but for all the wrong reasons. According to Twitter, the title is trending, but this isn't good news for Nintendo, as players are taking to the internet to complain about maintenance preventing play.
As an international news team, we've discovered an interesting new dimension to this problem. While our US colleagues were stuck in maintenance hell, those of us across the pond were already happily racing away - well, briefly at least.
The maintenance problem isn't the only issue Mario Kart fans are complaining about, either. Those who have managed to slay the server maintenance boss have quickly discovered that the title is not only plagued with microtransactions and even bizarrely a subscription option, but it has no PVP mode, with the multiplayer option in the menu simply listed as "coming soon." This is something that likely won't end well.
This isn't the first time Nintendo has come under fire recently for its mobile offerings. While Fire Emblem Heroes and Dragalia Lost have been phenomenal successes, other titles, such as Dr Mario World, have been a huge disappointment.
Mario Kart is a much-loved Nintendo franchise and many gamers were excited to see it come to mobile. However, hitting a maintenance issue before starting won't be helping matters. It suggests failure before most players have even had a chance to play the game.
While some titles can overcome similar launch day hiccups, the game still has to be worth playing. Currently, reports from those who have played Mario Kart Tour suggest that it may not be worth the hassle.
It remains to be seen if Mario Kart Tour will be a success for Nintendo, which is no doubt hoping it will bring the money rolling in. One of the biggest issues with Dr. Mario World was the way it handled microtransactions. As players begin to finally get into Mario Kart Tour, we will soon find out if this new title has managed to carve a new path along the lines of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp or if it ends up being a tragic mistake.