Thanksgiving turkey. Football. Pumpkin pie. Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" on every speaker. Nintendo putting the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Switch bundle on sale for Black Friday. All of these have become beloved holiday traditions—but this year, one of these traditions has ended, perhaps for good. Nintendo's Black Friday sales have officially begun, running from November 23 to November 29, and the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Switch console bundle is nowhere to be seen.
The Mario Kart 8 Bundle Was A Standard Throughout The Switch's Lifespan
For seven years without fail, Nintendo has offered the bundle of a Nintendo Switch console and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe game as part of its Black Friday deals. The bundle first appeared in 2018 and reappeared every year, always costing $299.99. Sure, sometimes it sold out, as games and consoles on Black Friday inevitably do, but it was always there.
Now, this year, the bundle is no more. Nintendo's offerings include steep discounts on titles such as Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Luigi's Mansion 3, as well as several third-party offerings like Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and the Final Fantasy 1-6 Pixel Collection. Amiibos are also on sale, with buyers able to grab The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's Sage amiibos for a mere $9.99 each. But there are no console deals. No one really expected a deal on the new Nintendo Switch 2 console, but not having one for the Switch 1, as has happened every year, is surprising.
The Lack Of Console Deals Isn't Unexpected, But It's Disappointing
With the Switch 2 so new, Nintendo fans weren't expecting to see a discounted version hitting the virtual shelves on Black Friday. We're less than a year into the console's lifespan, and sales are still high, so it's far too early for Nintendo to drop the price. But the original Nintendo Switch is still actively for sale pretty much everywhere, and there are probably more than a few gamers who would still be happy to see the older console wrapped up under the Christmas tree. Discontinuing the bundle seems like a strange move — especially as Nintendo wasn't yet ready to replace it with a Switch 2 equivalent, such as a discounted version of the Mario Kart World console bundle.
The Switch 2 Is A Major Factor, But It's Not The Only One
The Switch 2's release may not be the only reason Nintendo is discontinuing the popular Black Friday bundle in 2025. Recently, Nintendo Switch consoles saw a price increase, with a standard Switch now retailing for $339.99 USD and an OLED model for $399.99. While Nintendo cited vague "market conditions" in their official announcement regarding the changes, increased tariffs in the United States are likely a major contributing factor to the change.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
