Mario Kart 8 Deluxe keeps going from strength to strength, as its physical sales in the UK have increased annually ever since it launched in 2017. There is no denying that the Mario Kart franchise is an MVP at Nintendo, especially considering that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling game on the Switch.
As of the time of writing, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has sold 28.99 million copies, which doesn't take into account the 2020 holiday season. The only game to come close is Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which is the second best-selling game on the Switch, with 26.04 million units sold. The universal appeal of the Mario Kart franchise is the reason for this high attach rate to the Switch, as it would be difficult to find someone who doesn't enjoy the series as either a single-player or multiplayer experience.
The sales of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe keep rising alongside the Switch. According to GamesIndustry.biz head Christopher Dring on Twitter, the annual sales of the physical version of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe have increased every year in the UK. This doesn't take into account the digital sales of the game. This is a staggering achievement for a game that is a port from the Wii U era, and it explains why the original Mario Kart 8 was also the best-selling Wii U game.
The top-selling Switch games have been features of the UK sale charts for a while now. Titles like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild never seem to stray too far from the top twenty. 2020 has been an incredible sales year for the Switch, and the limited stock of PS5 and Xbox Series X/S units has removed much of its competition this holiday season. It's no surprise to see the Switch going from strength to strength, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ascending alongside it.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was released early in the Switch's lifespan and it's a port of an older game. Fans have wondered if Nintendo will release another entry in the series, not counting mobile titles. With sales like these, it's hard to imagine Nintendo wanting to spend resources on making a new Mario Kart game when the current one is selling so well. The Switch itself is a sales juggernaut, so there's no need to release more Mario Kart games, and potentially dilute interest in a title that's already selling so well.
Source: Christopher Dring/Twitter