"Switch 2 and Mario Kart World Pricing Sparks Crisis for Nintendo, Say Ex-PR Managers"

Amid the ongoing backlash to Nintendo's shock pricing for the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World, two former Nintendo PR managers have described the situation as "a true crisis moment for Nintendo." Speaking on their YouTube channel, former Nintendo of America PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang criticized the company's approach to announcing the $449.99 price for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.

"I don’t want to blow things out of proportion, but this does feel like a true crisis moment for Nintendo," Ellis stated. The criticism isn't limited to just Mario Kart World; other Nintendo Switch 2 games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are also priced at $79.99. Furthermore, Nintendo has faced criticism for charging for the Switch 2 tutorial game, Welcome Tour, which fans argue should be a free pack-in, similar to Astro's Playroom on the PlayStation 5, which serves as a free tech demo for the DualSense controller.

The frustration over pricing has even infiltrated Nintendo's Treehouse livestreams, with viewers flooding the chat with messages like "DROP THE PRICE." Ellis and Yang were particularly vocal about the way Nintendo unveiled the pricing for the Switch 2 and its games. They highlighted the absence of pricing information in the Direct as a "deliberate" omission that led to confusion and misinformation as fans sought out pricing details elsewhere.

Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery

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Yang pointed out that the pricing for the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World was "intentionally omitted from the Direct for a reason," but criticized the execution as fans were left piecing together information from various sources. Ellis echoed this sentiment, expressing concern over what he perceived as a lack of respect towards consumers: "It just shows some disrespect to the consumer, where, ‘oh, you just saw the Direct you’re so excited, you’re just gonna throw your money at us blindly, you’re not going to even ask the question of how much it cost because you’re so excited, aren’t you?’"

Yang added, "It’s a little bit degrading almost to the intelligence of the consumer." The former NOA communications team members also discussed Nintendo's failure to address the pricing concerns, noting that the absence of a public statement or press interviews has fueled rampant speculation and misinformation. "They are enabling the story to get out of hand, out of control," Yang said, with Ellis adding, "They have lost control of this."

Ellis and Yang suggested that Nintendo's current approach may be lacking the consumer mindfulness it once had, following the retirement of former NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé and the tragic loss of former Nintendo head Satoru Iwata. Yang mentioned that the communications team would likely recommend an official statement, but the approval process would be lengthy and involve many stakeholders before reaching current Nintendo boss Shuntaro Furukawa.

They also noted that Nintendo is out of practice in engaging with its community and the press, especially given the negative feedback reminiscent of the Nintendo 3DS price debacle in 2011. Concerns were raised about staff at public-facing Switch 2 hands-on sessions, where fans might pose pricing questions that could be misconstrued as official responses if answered.

What happens next is uncertain, but neither Ellis nor Yang anticipate a price drop for the Switch 2 or its games before launch. For more information, explore everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, and read expert opinions on the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.