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Author: EthanReading:1
In the midst of growing backlash against Nintendo's surprising 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."
During a video on their YouTube channel, former Nintendo of America PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang expressed disappointment with how Nintendo unveiled the $449.99 price for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.
"I don’t want to exaggerate, but this genuinely feels like a crisis moment for Nintendo," Ellis stated.
Mario Kart World isn't the sole Switch 2 game priced at $79.99; other editions, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, share the same price tag.
Nintendo has also faced criticism for charging for the Switch 2 tutorial experience, Welcome Tour, which many believe should be included for free. For instance, Astro's Playroom is pre-installed on every PlayStation 5, functioning as both a free tech demo and controller showcase.
Frustration over the pricing has even reached Nintendo's Treehouse livestreams, where viewers have flooded the chat with "DROP THE PRICE" messages.
Ellis and Yang specifically condemned Nintendo's handling of the pricing reveal during the Direct event. They noted the deliberate omission of prices from the presentation itself, which led to confusion and misinformation as fans scrambled to confirm pricing elsewhere.
Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery
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Yang argued that the intentional absence of pricing details during the Direct was handled poorly, leaving fans to piece together fragmented information. Ellis added, "This shows a lack of respect for consumers, assuming they'll blindly spend money without questioning the price."
"It almost undermines the intelligence of the consumer," Yang remarked.
The former NOA communications staff further criticized Nintendo's failure to address the pricing concerns publicly or through interviews. They claimed this vacuum of official communication has allowed rampant speculation and misinformation to spread unchecked.
"They're allowing the narrative to spiral out of control," Yang stated. "They've completely lost control of this situation," Ellis agreed.
So, what went wrong? Ellis and Yang suggested that Nintendo has lost its consumer-centric mindset since the departure of former NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé and the passing of Nintendo's former president, Satoru Iwata.According to Yang, the company's communications team is now advising Nintendo to issue an official statement, but the approval process will likely be lengthy, involving numerous stakeholders before reaching current CEO Shuntaro Furukawa.
Additionally, the pair noted that Nintendo's communications team is out of practice due to their prolonged silence with both the community and media, as well as their lack of experience managing similar negativity since the 2011 Nintendo 3DS pricing controversy.
There are now concerns for employees staffing demo stations at public Switch 2 hands-on events. Attendees may pose reasonable questions, and any responses given could be shared online and interpreted as Nintendo's official stance.
What happens next remains uncertain, but neither Ellis nor Yang anticipate a price reduction for the Switch 2 or its games before launch.
For more insights, read about everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct and what experts think about the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World's $80 price tag.
