The recent pricing announcement for the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World has sparked significant backlash, prompting two former Nintendo PR managers to label it as "a true crisis moment for Nintendo." Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, once part of Nintendo of America's PR team, shared their candid thoughts on their YouTube channel regarding the $449.99 price tag for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 for Mario Kart World.
Ellis expressed concern over 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 high pricing isn't limited to Mario Kart World; other Switch 2 titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom also carry a $79.99 price tag. Furthermore, the decision to charge for the Switch 2 tutorial game, Welcome Tour, has drawn criticism, especially when compared to free offerings like Astro's Playroom on the PlayStation 5.
The frustration among fans is palpable, with Nintendo's Treehouse livestreams being flooded with comments demanding a price reduction. Ellis and Yang criticized the way Nintendo handled the price reveal, noting the absence of pricing information in the Direct presentation. Yang suggested that the omission was deliberate, leading to confusion and misinformation as fans sought pricing details elsewhere. "The Switch 2 and Mario Kart World pricing was 'intentionally omitted from the Direct for a reason,' but handled poorly in terms of the information being in all these different places and you’re expecting the fans or the consumer to piece it all together," she explained.
Ellis added that the approach seemed to underestimate the intelligence of consumers, 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 the tactic as "a little bit degrading almost to the intelligence of the consumer."
The former PR managers also highlighted Nintendo's failure to address the pricing concerns publicly or through media interviews, leading to rampant speculation and misinformation. "They are enabling the story to get out of hand, out of control," Yang remarked, with Ellis adding, "They have lost control of this."
Ellis and Yang pointed out that Nintendo's current approach might reflect a loss of consumer mindfulness since the departure of key figures like Reggie Fils-Aimé and Satoru Iwata. They suggested that Nintendo's communications team should recommend an official statement, although the approval process would be challenging and involve many stakeholders before reaching current Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa.
Concerns also extend to Nintendo's public-facing events, where staff at demo stations might face questions about pricing. Any responses could be misconstrued as official statements if they end up online. Despite the backlash, neither Ellis nor Yang anticipate a price drop for the Switch 2 or its games before launch.
For further details, explore everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct and what the experts have to say about the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.
Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery
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