Mario Kart World Direct: When and where to watch

By Patrick Hearn Published April 16, 2025

If you’re itching for more information about Mario Kart World, we’ve got great news: Nintendo is holding an official Mario Kart World Direct tomorrow at 9 AM ET, 6 AM PT. The Direct will last for 15 minutes and provide more details and information on what to expect from the game.

You can watch a live stream of the Direct on YouTube, but you’ll also be able to stream the Direct through the Nintendo Today app. No need to glue yourself to a computer if you’re on the go.

We don’t know what surprises Nintendo has in store for viewers tomorrow. The company has remained tight-lipped regarding the game, but if we had to guess, the Direct will likely go over the roster of characters (since there are 24 now) and the lineup of different vehicles you can choose from. Even in the hands-on preview, Nintendo didn’t reveal everything the game had to offer.

We’ll probably also get a closer look at the different courses, especially since that seems to be the main way Mario Kart World departs from previous entries. The game takes on a more open-world concept, similar to the way Forza Horizon works, with multi-stage tracks that don’t repeat. From initial impressions, it seems like the tried-and-true three-lap formula is gone, or at least not the only option.

There’s also a new mode called Knockout where players go through a series of races, and only a certain number advance to each successive race.

These are all details revealed through the hands-on demo, but Nintendo is bound to have more tricks up its sleeve. The Direct will dive into these and probably give more information on different multiplayer modes, vehicle customization, and other features you can expect when the game launches on June 5 alongside the Nintendo Switch 2.