'Mario Kart 8' DLC 2016 news: Expansion pack expected to arrive by the holidays

"Mario Kart 8" for the Wii UNintendo

Nintendo was rumored to reveal their third DLC pack for "Mario Kart 8" during the E3 this past June but the event has come and gone with no announcement made. The only clue of a new DLC pack coming to the racing game is still Nintendo UK's Twitter post, leading many fans to merely speculate when the DLC might launch.

Given that Nintendo is launching the Nintendo NX by March 2017, the company would be shifting all of their marketing efforts toward the NX by the end of the year in order to ensure they can boost the sales of the NX as much as they can. This means any marketing for products for the Wii U will have to take place prior to the end of the year.

Fans speculate that this means the third and final DLC for "Mario Kart 8" won't be coming out until the holidays as some form of final gift to the fans that have stuck with the Wii-U despite its declining sales and lack of support from third-party developers, right before Nintendo shifts their gears to the NX.

Nintendo Life reported that this final DLC may give classic tracks, characters and themes from older "Mario Kart" games into "Mario Kart 8" given that the image posted on Twitter was that of the Kalimari Desert track, a track not featured in the game. The track debuted in "Mario Kart 64" and has been seen in many "Mario Kart" games since.

It is likely that the third DLC will focus on classic "Mario Kart" elements given that the first two DLC packs focused entirely on "Animal Crossing" and "The Legend of Zelda" franchises. If the third DLC pack does come out then it would make "Mario Kart 8" the largest game in the series with the most content. 

Nintendo has yet to officially confirm if there is a third DLC coming out or if the Twitter post meant something else.