In the midst of growing criticism over Nintendo’s unexpected pricing strategy for the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World, two former Nintendo PR managers have labeled the situation as a "true crisis moment for Nintendo." Speaking in a YouTube video, former Nintendo of America PR directors Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang expressed dissatisfaction with how Nintendo unveiled the $449.99 price tag for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.
"I don’t want to overstate things, but this really feels like a critical juncture for Nintendo," remarked Ellis.
Mario Kart World isn’t the sole Switch 2 title priced at $79.99. Certain Switch 2 editions, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, also carry this price point.
Even the Switch 2 tutorial experience, Welcome Tour, has drawn flak for being chargeable, despite fans expecting it to be included for free. For instance, Astro's Playroom is bundled with every PlayStation 5, acting as both a preloaded game and a tech demo for the DualSense controller.
The discontent over pricing has extended to Nintendo’s Treehouse livestreams, where viewers are flooding the chat with repeated calls for "DROP THE PRICE."
Ellis and Yang were especially critical of Nintendo’s handling of the price announcement. They noted the deliberate omission of pricing during the Direct presentation, leading to confusion and misinformation as fans sought clarification elsewhere.
Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery
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"The pricing was deliberately left out of the Direct for a reason," Yang stated, "but it was handled poorly, leaving consumers to piece together fragmented details from various sources."
Ellis added: "This approach seems dismissive of consumers, implying they should blindly purchase without questioning the cost simply because they're excited."
"It almost feels disrespectful to the intelligence of the consumer," Yang continued.
The former NOA communications staff highlighted Nintendo’s lack of a public response or press engagement regarding the pricing concerns. This absence has allowed misinformation to proliferate.
"They are allowing the narrative to spiral out of control," Yang noted. "They've lost control of this situation," Ellis agreed.
So, what went wrong? Ellis and Yang suggested Nintendo’s communication strategy has faltered post-Reggie Fils-Aimé's departure and Satoru Iwata’s passing.
Nintendo’s communications team is advising the company to issue an official statement, according to Yang, but the approval process involves numerous stakeholders before reaching current CEO Shuntaro Furukawa.
Additionally, Nintendo is out of practice due to prolonged silence with its community and press, and hasn’t faced such negative feedback since the 2011 Nintendo 3DS price controversy.
Concerns now exist for staff at public Switch 2 demo stations, as attendees may direct tough questions to them. Any responses could be misconstrued as official statements if shared online.
What happens next remains uncertain, but neither Ellis nor Yang anticipate a price reduction for the Switch 2 or its games prior to launch.
For further insights, explore the full announcements from the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct and expert opinions on the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.
