Nintendo is grappling with significant criticism following the reveal of the Switch 2’s $449.99 price tag and Mario Kart World’s $79.99 cost, with two former PR managers calling it “a true crisis moment for Nintendo.”
In a YouTube video, former Nintendo of America PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang slammed the company’s handling of the pricing announcement for the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World.
“This feels like a genuine crisis for Nintendo, without exaggerating,” Ellis stated.
Mario Kart World isn’t the only Switch 2 title priced at $79.99. Other Switch 2 Edition games, like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, also carry the same price.
Nintendo has faced criticism for charging for the Switch 2 tutorial game, Welcome Tour, which fans argue should be included free. Astro's Playroom, for instance, is pre-installed on every PlayStation 5 as a complimentary tech demo for the DualSense controller.
Fan frustration over pricing has spilled into Nintendo’s Treehouse livestream chats, with viewers flooding the comments with demands to “DROP THE PRICE.”
Ellis and Yang criticized Nintendo’s approach to revealing the Switch 2 and game prices, noting the absence of pricing details in the Direct as a “deliberate” choice that led to confusion and misinformation as fans sought answers elsewhere.
Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery
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Yang argued the pricing for the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World was “intentionally left out of the Direct,” but the rollout was mishandled, scattering information across multiple sources and leaving consumers to piece it together.
Ellis added: “It feels dismissive to consumers, assuming they’ll be so thrilled after the Direct that they won’t question the cost.”
“It almost undermines the intelligence of the consumer,” Yang remarked.
The former NOA communications team highlighted Nintendo’s failure to address pricing concerns through public statements or media interviews, allowing speculation and misinformation to spread unchecked.
“They’re letting this narrative spiral out of control,” Yang said. “They’ve lost the reins on this,” Ellis echoed.
What went wrong? Ellis and Yang suggested Nintendo has lost the consumer-focused approach it once had under former NOA president Reggie Fils-Aimé and the late Nintendo leader Satoru Iwata.
Yang noted that Nintendo’s communications team is likely pushing for an official statement, but the approval process will be complex, involving multiple stakeholders before reaching current president Shuntaro Furukawa.
The pair also pointed out that Nintendo is out of practice in engaging with its community or press, having not faced this level of backlash since the Nintendo 3DS pricing controversy in 2011.
Concerns are growing for staff at public Switch 2 demo events, where fans may direct pricing questions to employees. Any responses could be shared online and misinterpreted as Nintendo’s official stance.
What’s next? Ellis and Yang doubt Nintendo will lower the Switch 2 or game prices before launch.
For more, check out all the announcements from the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct and expert opinions on the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 cost.
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