Nintendo has found itself in hot water over its pricing for the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World. Two former PR managers from Nintendo of America, Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, recently labeled this a “true crisis moment” for the company.
In a YouTube discussion, they criticized Nintendo’s approach to announcing the price of the Switch 2, set at $449.99, and the $79.99 tag for Mario Kart World. This hefty price point has raised eyebrows, especially given that other games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom also pull in the same price.
Even more contentious is Nintendo’s decision to charge for the tutorial game, Welcome Tour, which many fans believe should have been included for free. For comparison, PlayStation offers Astro’s Playroom as a free tech demo included with its PS5 consoles.
Viewer frustration was palpable during Nintendo’s Treehouse livestreams, with many fans flooding the chat with demands to “DROP THE PRICE.” This highlights a growing discontent within the fan community.
Ellis and Yang pointed out that during Nintendo’s Direct presentation, vital pricing information was purposely left out. This created confusion as fans scrambled to gather details from various sources. Yang remarked that requiring fans to stitch together price data from different places feels disrespectful. It implies that Nintendo assumes fans will buy without fully understanding what they’re purchasing.
They noted a stark change in Nintendo’s communication style over the years. After the loss of former leaders like Reggie Fils-Aimé and Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s current team seems disconnected from its audience. Their recommendations for addressing the current pricing backlash, including a public statement, will likely face procedural delays before reaching Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa.
As fans interact more with demo staff during upcoming public events, the potential for misunderstandings is high. Responses given by these staff could easily be misconstrued as official statements, which could worsen the situation.
Looking ahead, it remains uncertain how Nintendo will resolve this pricing backlash, and both Ellis and Yang don’t anticipate any price cuts before the Switch 2 launches.
Historically, Nintendo has faced similar challenges. The pricing controversy surrounding the Nintendo 3DS in 2011 forced the company to reduce its price only months after the system’s launch due to poor sales. This history looms large as Nintendo navigates current scrutiny.
For deeper insight, feel free to explore more on the announcements from the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct and what industry experts think about the pricing strategies in place for the upcoming titles.
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