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, Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, both former PR managers at Nintendo of America, expressed their concerns over the $449.99 price tag for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 for Mario Kart World.
"I don’t want to blow things out of proportion, but this does feel like a true crisis moment for Nintendo," Ellis stated, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. The pricing controversy extends beyond Mario Kart World, with other Switch 2 titles like 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 game, Welcome Tour, which fans argue should be a free inclusion. This is in contrast to Astro's Playroom, which comes pre-installed on every PlayStation 5, serving as a free tech demo for the DualSense controller.
The outrage over pricing has also affected Nintendo's Treehouse livestreams, with viewers flooding the chat with messages demanding a price drop. Ellis and Yang were critical of how Nintendo revealed the pricing, noting the absence of price information during the Direct presentation as a deliberate move that led to confusion and misinformation among fans seeking pricing details elsewhere.
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Yang suggested that the pricing was "intentionally omitted from the Direct for a reason," but criticized the execution as fans were left to piece together information from various sources. Ellis added that this approach showed "some disrespect to the consumer," suggesting that Nintendo expected fans to be so excited by the Direct that they wouldn't question the cost. 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 through public statements or press interviews, which they believe has allowed misinformation and speculation to spread unchecked. "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 attributed Nintendo's current communication challenges to a shift in corporate culture following the retirement of former NOA president Reggie Fils-Aimé and the passing of former Nintendo head Satoru Iwata. They noted that Nintendo's communications team is likely to recommend an official statement, but the approval process would be complex, involving many levels before reaching current president Shuntaro Furukawa.
Moreover, the company is out of practice in managing such negativity, having not faced a similar situation since the Nintendo 3DS price controversy in 2011. Concerns also arise for staff at public-facing Switch 2 hands-on sessions, where fans may pose questions about pricing, potentially leading to unofficial responses being misconstrued as Nintendo's official stance.
Looking ahead, neither Ellis nor Yang anticipate a price reduction for the Switch 2 or its games before launch. For those interested in further details, 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.
