Amid the intense backlash surrounding the pricing of the Nintendo Switch 2 and the highly anticipated Mario Kart World, two former Nintendo PR managers have labeled the situation as “a true crisis moment for Nintendo.” Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, who used to manage public relations for Nintendo of America, expressed their concerns over the $449.99 price tag for the Switch 2 and the steep $79.99 cost for Mario Kart World in a video on their YouTube channel.
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 titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom also priced at $79.99 for the Switch 2 Edition. Additionally, Nintendo has faced criticism for charging for the Welcome Tour, a tutorial video game experience that fans argue should be included for free, akin to Astro's Playroom, which comes pre-installed on every PlayStation 5 as a tech demo for the DualSense controller.
The uproar has even disrupted Nintendo’s Treehouse livestreams, with viewers flooding the chat with demands to “DROP THE PRICE.” Ellis and Yang were particularly critical of Nintendo's strategy in revealing the prices. They noted the absence of pricing information in the Direct presentation as a "deliberate" omission that led to widespread confusion and misinformation as fans sought confirmation elsewhere.
Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery
91 Images
Yang suggested that the omission of pricing from the Direct was intentional but poorly executed, leaving consumers to piece together information from various sources. Ellis further criticized this approach, 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 added that such a strategy was “a little bit degrading almost to the intelligence of the consumer.”
The former NOA communications staff also pointed out Nintendo’s failure to address the pricing concerns publicly or through the press, which they believe has fueled rampant speculation and misinformation. “They are enabling the story to get out of hand, out of control,” Yang stated, with Ellis adding, “They have lost control of this.”
Ellis and Yang attributed Nintendo's current predicament to a loss of consumer mindfulness, following the retirement of former NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé and the tragic loss of former Nintendo head Satoru Iwata. They suggested that Nintendo's communications team should recommend an official statement, though the approval process would likely be cumbersome, involving many people before reaching current Nintendo boss Shuntaro Furukawa. The pair also noted that Nintendo is out of practice in addressing its community and press, particularly with the level of negativity not seen since the 2011 Nintendo 3DS price debacle.
Concerns were raised about the staff at demo stations during public-facing Switch 2 hands-on sessions, as fans with legitimate questions might share any responses online, potentially framing them as Nintendo’s official stance. 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 learn what the experts have to say about the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.
