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

The recent announcement of the pricing for the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World has sparked a significant backlash, prompting two former Nintendo PR managers, Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, to label it as "a true crisis moment for Nintendo." In a detailed video on their YouTube channel, the former Nintendo of America PR managers expressed their concerns over the $449.99 price tag for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.

Ellis emphasized the gravity 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 games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom also priced at $79.99. Additionally, Nintendo faced criticism for charging for the Welcome Tour tutorial, which many fans believe should be a free pack-in, similar to Astro's Playroom on the PlayStation 5.

The public outcry has even affected Nintendo’s Treehouse livestreams, where viewers have been spamming "DROP THE PRICE" in the chat. Ellis and Yang criticized the way Nintendo handled the price reveal, noting the absence of pricing information in the Direct presentation as a "deliberate" omission that led to confusion and misinformation.

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Yang suggested that the pricing was "intentionally omitted from the Direct for a reason," but the subsequent dissemination of information was poorly managed, leaving fans to piece together the details. Ellis added that this approach showed a lack of respect for consumers, implying that Nintendo expected fans to purchase the products without questioning the cost due to their excitement.

The former PR managers also highlighted Nintendo's failure to address the pricing concerns publicly or through media interviews, which has led to rampant speculation and misinformation. Yang stated, "They are enabling the story to get out of hand, out of control," with Ellis adding, "They have lost control of this."

Ellis and Yang attributed Nintendo's current communication challenges to a shift in company culture following the retirement of former NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé and the passing of former Nintendo head Satoru Iwata. They suggested that Nintendo's communications team would likely recommend an official statement, but the process would be cumbersome and involve many layers of approval before reaching current Nintendo boss Shuntaro Furukawa.

The duo also expressed concerns about the staff at public demo stations for the Switch 2, who might face difficult questions from fans. Any responses given could be misconstrued as Nintendo's official stance if shared online.

Looking ahead, neither Ellis nor Yang anticipate a price reduction for the Switch 2 or its games before launch. For more 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.