Reggie Fils-Aimé, the former president of Nintendo of America, has subtly weighed in on the controversy surrounding Nintendo's decision to charge for the Switch 2 tutorial game, Welcome Tour. Amidst the uproar over the $449.99 price of the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price tag for Mario Kart World, the decision to charge for the interactive instruction manual, Welcome Tour, has also sparked significant debate.
Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour during its recent Nintendo Direct, set to launch alongside the Switch 2 in June. This game serves as a guided tour of the console in video game format, described by Nintendo as a "virtual exhibition" of the new hardware. Through tech demos, mini-games, and other interactions, players will gain an in-depth understanding of the system. The Nintendo Direct showcased a small player avatar navigating a larger-than-life Switch 2, exploring its features and engaging in mini-games like Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo.
IGN has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour will cost $9.99 and will be available only digitally. While this price is lower than other Switch 2 games, many Nintendo fans have expressed frustration over having to pay for it at all, arguing that it should be included as a free pack-in, similar to how Astro's Playroom was bundled with the PlayStation 5.
Fils-Aimé has taken to Twitter to share clips from a two-year-old IGN interview where he discussed his efforts to include Wii Sports as a free pack-in with the Wii console. In the first clip, he recounts the resistance he faced from Shigeru Miyamoto, stating, "it is an understatement to say that Mr. Miyamoto pushed back" on the idea. Despite this, Fils-Aimé succeeded in having Wii Sports bundled with the Wii in all regions except Japan.
The story of Wii Sports pack in ...https://t.co/LhflSFWaL3
— Reggie Fils-Aimé (@Reggie) April 9, 2025
In another clip, Fils-Aimé discusses a similar battle to bundle Wii Play with the Wii Remote, noting that Miyamoto was "not happy about that either." Finally, he shared a clip emphasizing the success of these decisions, stating, "In the Americas and in Europe, Wii Sports was packed in with the Wii proposition... It was obvious that in the markets where Wii Sports was packed in that we became much more of a phenomenon."
And the results.https://t.co/xrFTDeJMQf
— Reggie Fils-Aimé (@Reggie) April 9, 2025
Fils-Aimé's tweets, while not directly addressing the Switch 2 strategy, suggest that including free pack-ins has historically been beneficial for Nintendo, hinting that a similar approach could be advantageous for the Switch 2. Fans have picked up on this, with some humorously noting on social media that Fils-Aimé seems to be responding to their comments about the Switch 2.
In a recent interview with IGN, Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, defended the $9.99 price of Welcome Tour. He highlighted the game's depth and value, stating, "It's an interesting product... There's a lot of great detail in there." Trinen emphasized that Welcome Tour is designed for those interested in the technical aspects of the system, suggesting that the price reflects the effort and detail put into the product.
Trinen also mentioned upcoming Nintendo Treehouse Live segments that will provide more insight into Welcome Tour and other games, suggesting that the public will soon see more of what the game offers. He concluded by affirming that the $9.99 price "feels like a good value for what you're getting out of the product."
The controversy over Welcome Tour is just one aspect of Nintendo's next-generation strategy, which has also faced scrutiny over the $80 price point for Switch 2 games and the $450 price of the Switch 2 itself.
