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Mario Kart 8 will launch for the Wii U in May, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced today during a briefing in Japan.
Iwata did not specify which region the May date applies to. We've reached out to Nintendo and will update accordingly. Previously, the game had a general launch of this spring. Mario Kart 8 is the first entry to be released for the Wii U; it will introduce new elements such as anti-gravity. Featured locations include courses set in jungle ruins, deserts and the clouds, while players will be able to take control of franchise favorites.
For more on the game, check out our hands-on preview from E3 2013. Nintendo's previous entry, Mario Kart 7, was released for the Nintendo 3DS in December 2011.
Update: A Nintendo representative confirmed to Polygon that the May release is global.
