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

The recent pricing announcements for the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World have sparked significant backlash, leading to what two former Nintendo PR managers have labeled as "a true crisis moment for Nintendo." In a detailed video on their YouTube channel, Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, both former PR managers at Nintendo of America, expressed strong criticism over the $449.99 price tag for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.

Ellis highlighted the severity of the situation, stating, "I don’t want to blow things out of proportion, but this does feel like a true crisis moment for Nintendo." The pricing concerns extend beyond Mario Kart World, with other Nintendo Switch 2 titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom also priced at $79.99. Additionally, fans have expressed frustration over the paid tutorial game, Welcome Tour, which many believe should be a complimentary feature, akin to Astro's Playroom on the PlayStation 5, which comes pre-installed and serves as a free tech demo.

The discontent has even affected Nintendo’s Treehouse livestreams, where viewers flood the chat with demands to "DROP THE PRICE." Ellis and Yang were particularly vocal about the way Nintendo handled the price reveal, noting the absence of pricing information in the Direct presentation. Yang suggested that the omission was intentional but poorly executed, leaving consumers to piece together the pricing from various sources.

Ellis further criticized the approach, saying, "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 echoed this sentiment, describing it as "a little bit degrading almost to the intelligence of the consumer."

The former PR managers also pointed out Nintendo’s failure to address the pricing concerns directly, either through public statements or interviews. This silence, they argued, has fueled rampant speculation and misinformation. "They are enabling the story to get out of hand, out of control," Yang stated, with Ellis adding, "They have lost control of this."

Ellis and Yang attributed part of the issue to a shift in Nintendo’s approach to consumer relations following the retirement of former NOA president Reggie Fils-Aimé and the passing of former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. They suggested that the current communications team would likely recommend an official statement, but the process to get such a statement approved would be cumbersome and involve many layers before reaching current Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa.

They also noted that Nintendo is out of practice in handling such public relations crises, having not faced similar negativity since the Nintendo 3DS price issue in 2011. Concerns were raised about the potential for staff at public demo stations for the Switch 2 to face difficult questions from fans, which could be misconstrued as official responses if shared online.

Looking ahead, neither Ellis nor Yang anticipate a price reduction for the Switch 2 or its games before the launch. For further insights, you can explore everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct and expert opinions on the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.

Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery

91 Images