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

In the midst of the growing backlash against 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."

Appearing in a video on their YouTube channel, ex-Nintendo of America PR leaders Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang condemned the manner in which Nintendo unveiled the $449.99 price tag for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.

"I don't want to overstate this, but this really feels like a pivotal crisis moment for Nintendo," Ellis stated.

Mario Kart World isn't the sole Switch 2 game priced at $79.99. Certain Switch 2 editions, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, also carry the same price tag.

Nintendo has faced criticism for charging for the Switch 2 tutorial game Welcome Tour, which many fans believe should be included free of charge. For instance, Astro's Playroom comes pre-installed on every PlayStation 5, acting as both a tech demo and a freebie for the DualSense controller.

This anger over pricing has even reached Nintendo's Treehouse livestreams, where viewers are flooding the chat with "DROP THE PRICE."

Ellis and Yang were particularly vocal about how Nintendo disclosed the prices of the Switch 2 and its games. They highlighted the deliberate omission of a price during the Direct event, which led to confusion and misinformation as fans scrambled to confirm the pricing elsewhere.

Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery

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The pricing for the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World was "intentionally left out of the Direct for a reason," Yang asserted, "but executed poorly given the scattered information, leaving consumers to piece it all together themselves."

Ellis added, "It reflects a slight disregard for the consumer, assuming they'll just throw money at us without asking about the cost because they're so thrilled. It's somewhat demeaning to the consumer's intelligence."

The former NOA communication team further discussed Nintendo's failure to address pricing concerns publicly or through press interviews. They noted this was fueling rampant speculation and spreading misinformation.

"They are allowing the narrative to spiral out of control," Yang remarked. "They've lost control of this situation," Ellis concurred.

So, what went wrong? Ellis and Yang proposed that Nintendo no longer possesses the same consumer awareness it once did, following the departure of former NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé and the tragic passing of former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata.

Yang mentioned that Nintendo's communications team is advising the company to issue an official statement, though the approval process will be arduous, involving numerous stakeholders before reaching current Nintendo CEO Shuntaro Furukawa.

Additionally, the pair noted that Nintendo is out of practice due to its prolonged silence with the community and press, as well as its lack of experience handling such negative feedback since the 2011 Nintendo 3DS price controversy.

There is now concern for employees staffing demo stations at public Switch 2 hands-on events. Attendees will likely ask pertinent questions, and any answers given could end up online and perceived as an official stance from Nintendo.

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

For more details, check out everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct and what experts think about the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.

What Do You Think of the $449.99 Nintendo Switch 2 Price? ---------------------------------------------------------

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