Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart Pricing Woes: Ex-PR Warn Crisis

Amid growing backlash over Nintendo's controversial pricing for Switch 2 and Mario Kart World, two former Nintendo PR executives have called this "a defining crisis moment" for the company.

In a video on their YouTube channel, former Nintendo of America PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang condemned Nintendo's handling of the $449.99 Switch 2 and $79.99 Mario Kart World pricing reveals.

"I don't want to exaggerate, but this genuinely feels like Nintendo's most critical PR challenge in years," Ellis stated.

Mario Kart World isn't the only Switch 2 game priced at $79.99. Several Switch 2 Edition titles including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom carry the same premium price point.

Nintendo faces additional criticism for monetizing the Switch 2 Welcome Tour tutorial experience that many believe should be complimentary. Astro's Playroom, packaged free with every PlayStation 5, demonstrates how such introductory experiences can showcase new hardware features.

The pricing outrage has infiltrated Nintendo's Treehouse livestreams, with chat flooded by viewers demanding "PRICE DROP" messages.

Ellis and Yang particularly faulted Nintendo's disclosure strategy, arguing that omitting pricing details from the Direct presentation fostered confusion as fans scrambled to confirm costs across various sources.

Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery

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"The pricing information was deliberately excluded from the Direct," Yang asserted, "but executed poorly with details scattered across multiple channels, forcing consumers to piece together the complete picture."

Ellis added: "This approach demonstrates consumer disregard - essentially saying 'You'll be so excited by our presentation that you'll blindly spend without questioning costs.'"

"It almost insults consumer intelligence," Yang remarked.

The former communications leads also criticized Nintendo's silence regarding pricing concerns, noting the absence of official statements or press interviews has allowed misinformation to flourish.

"They're enabling an uncontrolled narrative," Yang observed. "They've completely lost the plot," Ellis concurred.

The duo attributed Nintendo's missteps to diminished consumer focus following former NOA president Reggie Fils-Aimé's retirement and the untimely passing of Nintendo visionary Satoru Iwata.

Yang anticipates Nintendo's comms team will push for an official statement, though the multilayered approval process - ultimately reaching president Shuntaro Furukawa - may prove arduous.

Both noted Nintendo's rusty community engagement and unfamiliarity with negative press since the 2011 3DS pricing controversy.

Concerns now extend to retail staff conducting Switch 2 demo sessions, where consumer inquiries could lead to unofficial statements being misrepresented online.

While the situation remains fluid, neither expects price reductions for Switch 2 hardware or software before launch.

For deeper analysis, explore complete Switch 2 Direct announcements and expert perspectives on Switch 2 pricing and the $80 Mario Kart World cost.