Switch 2 and Mario Kart World Pricing Sparks Crisis for Nintendo, Say Former 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 their dismay at the way the company announced the $449.99 price for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price tag for Mario Kart World.

Ellis remarked, "I don’t want to blow things out of proportion, but this does feel like a true crisis moment for Nintendo." The criticism extends beyond just Mario Kart World, as other Nintendo Switch 2 titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, are also priced at $79.99. Moreover, Nintendo has faced criticism for charging for the Switch 2 tutorial game, Welcome Tour, which many fans argue should be a free pack-in, similar to Astro's Playroom on the PlayStation 5.

The frustration over the pricing has even disrupted Nintendo’s Treehouse livestreams, with viewers flooding the chat with demands to "DROP THE PRICE." Ellis and Yang criticized Nintendo's approach to revealing the prices, pointing out the absence of pricing information in the Direct itself as a "deliberate" move that led to confusion and misinformation.

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Yang suggested that the omission of pricing from the Direct was intentional but poorly executed, leaving 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?'" Yang further stated, "It’s a little bit degrading almost to the intelligence of the consumer."

The former NOA communications staff highlighted Nintendo’s failure to address the pricing concerns through public statements or press interviews, which has allowed speculation and misinformation to spread unchecked. Yang commented, "They are enabling the story to get out of hand, out of control," while Ellis noted, "They have lost control of this."

Ellis and Yang attributed Nintendo's current approach to a lack of consumer mindfulness, which they believe the company has lost since the retirement of former NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé and the tragic passing of former Nintendo head Satoru Iwata. They suggested that Nintendo's communications team will likely recommend an official statement, but the approval process could be lengthy and involve many stakeholders before reaching current Nintendo boss Shuntaro Furukawa.

Additionally, they noted that Nintendo may be out of practice in communicating with the community and press, having not faced such negativity since the Nintendo 3DS price controversy in 2011. There are also concerns about how staff at public Switch 2 demo stations will handle fan questions about pricing, as any responses given could be misconstrued as official statements if shared online.

As for what happens next, neither Ellis nor Yang anticipate a price reduction for the Switch 2 or its games before launch. For more information, 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.