Former Nintendo PR Managers Say Switch 2 and Mario Kart World Price Backlash 'A True Crisis Moment for Nintendo'

Amid the ongoing backlash to Nintendo's surprising pricing strategy for the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World, two former Nintendo PR managers have labeled the situation as "a true crisis moment for Nintendo."

In a video on their YouTube channel, former Nintendo of America PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang expressed strong criticism towards Nintendo's approach to announcing the $449.99 price tag for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.

"I don't want to overstate the situation, but this does feel like a true crisis moment for Nintendo," Ellis remarked.

Mario Kart World isn't the only game on the Switch 2 with a $79.99 price point. Other titles, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, also carry this price. Additionally, Nintendo has faced criticism for charging for the Switch 2 tutorial game, Welcome Tour, which many fans believe should be included for free, similar to Astro's Playroom on the PlayStation 5, which serves as a complimentary tech demo for the DualSense controller.

The frustration over pricing has even infiltrated 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 prices of the Switch 2 and its games. They highlighted the absence of pricing information in the Direct presentation as a "deliberate" move that led to confusion and misinformation as fans sought pricing details elsewhere.

Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery

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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 fans to piece together information from various 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?'"

"It's a little bit degrading almost to the intelligence of the consumer," Yang stated.

The former NOA communications team further discussed Nintendo's failure to address the pricing concerns through public statements or press interviews, which has led to rampant speculation and misinformation.

"They are enabling the story to get out of hand, out of control," Yang said. "They have lost control of this," Ellis added.

Ellis and Yang suggested that Nintendo's current approach lacks the consumer mindfulness it once had, following the retirement of former NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé and the tragic loss of former Nintendo head Satoru Iwata.

Yang mentioned that Nintendo's communications team would likely recommend an official statement, but the approval process would be challenging, involving many people before reaching current Nintendo boss Shuntaro Furukawa.

Nintendo is also out of practice in communicating with its community and press, the pair noted, and hasn't faced this level of negativity since the Nintendo 3DS price debacle in 2011.

There is now concern for staff at public-facing Switch 2 hands-on sessions, as fans may pose reasonable questions about pricing. Any responses from staff could be misconstrued as Nintendo's official stance if shared online.

What happens next remains uncertain, but neither Ellis nor Yang anticipate a price reduction for the Switch 2 or its games before launch.

For more information, explore everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, and see what the experts have to say about the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World's $80 price tag.