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

Amid the ongoing backlash to Nintendo's surprising pricing strategy for the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World, two former Nintendo PR managers, Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, have labeled the situation as "a true crisis moment for Nintendo." In a video on their YouTube channel, the ex-Nintendo of America PR managers expressed strong criticism towards the company's approach to announcing the $449.99 price tag for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.

Ellis emphasized 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 controversy extends beyond Mario Kart World, with other Switch 2 titles, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, also priced at $79.99. Additionally, Nintendo has faced criticism for charging for the Switch 2 tutorial experience, Welcome Tour, which many fans believe should be a free pack-in, similar to Astro's Playroom on the PlayStation 5.

The backlash has been so intense that it has even disrupted Nintendo's Treehouse livestreams, with viewers flooding the chat with demands to "DROP THE PRICE." Ellis and Yang were particularly vocal about the way Nintendo disclosed the pricing, highlighting the absence of price information during the Direct presentation. They described this omission as "deliberate," leading to confusion and misinformation as fans sought pricing details from various sources.

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Yang suggested that the pricing was "intentionally omitted from the Direct for a reason," but criticized the execution, noting that it left consumers piecing together information from multiple sources. Ellis added, "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, calling it "a little bit degrading almost to the intelligence of the consumer."

The former NOA communications staff further discussed Nintendo's failure to address the pricing concerns publicly or through media interviews, which has fueled 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 suggested that Nintendo's current approach lacks the consumer mindfulness it once exhibited under former NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé and the late Nintendo head Satoru Iwata. They anticipate that Nintendo's communications team will recommend an official statement, but the approval process will be challenging and involve many stakeholders before reaching current Nintendo boss Shuntaro Furukawa.

The duo also expressed concerns about Nintendo's staff at public-facing Switch 2 demo sessions, noting that fans may pose pricing questions that could be misconstrued as official responses if shared online. Despite the ongoing controversy, neither Ellis nor Yang expect a price reduction for the Switch 2 or its games before the launch.

For more insights, 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.