Nintendo will live stream its Mario Kart World Direct tomorrow morning, April 17, 2025, at 6 a.m. PT / 9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. BT.
The direct was announced when Nintendo first showcased Mario Kart World during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct at the beginning of the month as the next chance we’d get to learn more about it. With the live stream placeholder now up on Nintendo’s YouTube channel, we know that it will only be a 15-minute presentation in which Nintendo says we’ll get an “in-depth” look at the new kart racer.
It’ll be interesting to see what Nintendo shows in this direct, but, of course, we’ve seen a lot about Mario Kart World since the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct earlier this month. A big part of the conversation has been around the fact that Mario Kart World is one of the few Nintendo Switch 2 games that will cost $80.
According to Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser, Mario Kart World is worth the increased price. Bowser even highlighted tomorrow’s direct, telling players with doubts to tune in and see what Nintendo shows off.
“But honestly, this is a game that is so big and so vast that you will find so many little things to discover.” Bowser told IGN. “And there’s still some other secrets remaining that I think as people end up buying and playing the game, they’re going to find this to be probably the richest Mario Kart experience they’ve ever had.“
Wccftech’s own Nathan Birch had the chance to play Mario Kart World during a recent Nintendo event, and while he admits to having fun with the game, it also didn’t blow him away. That said, there’s still a lot of potential that can’t be seen in a short 20-minute demo. We’ll see how much tomorrow’s 15-minute direct adds to that.
“Mario Kart World feels very much like a shiny new Mario Kart 8 model, which will be great for those looking for more of what that game offered, but there’s no denying the game feels a bit familiar at times.” Birch wrote.
“That said, Mario Kart World’s interconnected map is a compelling creation, and while I need to play more, I can imagine a lot of potential ways Nintendo could utilize, and possibly expand, their new racing world. Nintendo may be about to unleash the racing platform they support for the next decade and I’m intrigued to see where this road may lead us.“
