Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Surprise Update Adds Eight-Player Split-Screen and CameraPlay on Nintendo Switch 2

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has received a surprise free update on Nintendo Switch 2 that adds eight-player local split-screen and CameraPlay support, alongside faster load times and improved TV and handheld resolution. The patch is live now on the Switch 2 build of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Nintendo's official what's-new update confirms the eight-player split-screen mode requires only a single Nintendo Switch 2 console plus enough controllers for each player, making it one of the most accessible local multiplayer setups the Switch 2 has had so far. Nintendo's product page positions the upgrade as a headline feature for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe owners on the newer hardware, and the patch is delivered as a free download through the Switch 2 eShop.

The update also opens CameraPlay for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, letting players connect a compatible USB camera to the Switch 2 and overlay the facecams onto the live race. The result is a direct view of how angry the friend sitting next to you gets after a Blue Shell, and it slots into the Switch 2's existing family of facecam features across other titles. Performance is also improved, with shorter load times and a higher resolution output in both TV and handheld modes, although Nintendo has not shared concrete resolution numbers for the patch.

The free update arrives more than a year after Mario Kart World took over the racing series flagship role, and shows Nintendo continuing to invest in the Switch 2 version of its long-running racer. For Switch 2 households that already own Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, the patch turns the older release into the easiest local split-screen multiplayer game on the console, and the CameraPlay addition extends the Switch 2's social-multiplayer lineup without any new hardware requirement.

The full official announcement and feature breakdown sits on Nintendo's What's New page for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and the updated title listing with the Switch 2 enhancements lives on the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe product page.