The 'Mario Dies on March 31st' meme stems from Nintendo's decision to discontinue several Super Mario 35th Anniversary products on March 31, 2021. Fans reacted to the removal of Super Mario 3D All-Stars from the eShop and the shutdown of Super Mario Bros. 35 by jokingly claiming that Nintendo was planning to execute their mascot. This sparked a wave of fan art, countdowns, and memes depicting Mario's 'final moments' or his impending doom as the clock struck midnight. Today, it remains a popular trope used by gamers to reference corporate decisions that limit the availability of classic titles or shut down legacy online services.