Amid the fierce backlash over the pricing of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World, two former Nintendo PR managers have labeled the situation as "a true crisis moment for Nintendo." In a recent video on their YouTube channel, ex-Nintendo of America PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang expressed strong criticism toward Nintendo's strategy for unveiling the $449.99 price tag on the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.
Ellis stated, "I don’t want to blow things out of proportion, but this does feel like a true crisis moment for Nintendo." The high pricing isn't exclusive to Mario Kart World; other titles for the Switch 2, like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, also come with a hefty $79.99 price tag. Additionally, Nintendo has faced criticism for charging for the Welcome Tour, a tutorial experience that many fans argue should be a complimentary inclusion, akin to Astro's Playroom, which is pre-installed on every PlayStation 5 and serves as a free tech demo for the DualSense controller.
The discontent has even infiltrated Nintendo’s Treehouse livestreams, with viewers flooding the chat with demands to "DROP THE PRICE." Ellis and Yang were particularly vocal about the way Nintendo chose to reveal the pricing, pointing out the deliberate omission of prices during the Direct presentation. This led to confusion and misinformation as fans tried to piece together pricing information from various sources.
Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery
91 Images
Yang commented that the pricing was "intentionally omitted from the Direct for a reason," but criticized the execution, stating, "but handled poorly in terms of the information being in all these different places and you’re expecting the fans or the consumer to piece it all together." Ellis echoed these sentiments, suggesting that the approach showed "some disrespect to the consumer," and added, "It’s a little bit degrading almost to the intelligence of the consumer."
The former PR managers also highlighted Nintendo's failure to address these concerns publicly or through the press, which has led to rampant speculation and misinformation. Yang noted, "They are enabling the story to get out of hand, out of control," with Ellis adding, "They have lost control of this."
Ellis and Yang attributed part of the issue to a shift in Nintendo's consumer focus following the retirement of former NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé and the loss of former Nintendo head Satoru Iwata. They suggested that Nintendo's communications team should now push for an official statement, though they anticipate a challenging approval process before it reaches current Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa.
Furthermore, the duo expressed concern for staff at public demo stations for the Switch 2, as fans might pose challenging questions about pricing. Any response from staff could be misconstrued as an official Nintendo statement if shared online.
While the future remains uncertain, neither Ellis nor Yang expect a price reduction for the Switch 2 or its games before launch. For more insights, explore everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, and check out expert opinions on the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.
