Reggie Fils-Aimé Highlights Wii Sports Pack-in Amid $10 Switch 2 Tour Backlash

Reggie Fils-Aimé, the former head of Nintendo of America, has subtly addressed the controversy over Nintendo's decision to charge for the Switch 2 tutorial game, Welcome Tour, by referencing the story of Wii Sports in a series of tweets. Amidst the backlash regarding the $449.99 price tag of the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World, the decision to charge for what is essentially an interactive instruction manual has stirred significant discussion.

During last week's Nintendo Direct, Nintendo introduced Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, set to launch alongside the Switch 2 in June. This game serves as a guided tour of the new console, presented in a video game format. It's described as a "virtual exhibition" of the new hardware, allowing players to explore the system through tech demos, mini-games, and other interactive elements. The Direct showcased a small player avatar navigating a larger-than-life Switch 2, learning about its features and engaging in mini-games such as Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo.

IGN confirmed that Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour will be priced at $9.99 and available only digitally. While this is considerably less than other Switch 2 games, many fans have voiced their disappointment that Welcome Tour isn't a free pack-in, drawing comparisons to Astro's Playroom, which was included with the PlayStation 5.

Fils-Aimé's tweets featured clips from an IGN interview conducted two years ago, where he recounted his efforts to include Wii Sports as a free pack-in with the Wii console. Despite resistance from Shigeru Miyamoto, Fils-Aimé succeeded in bundling Wii Sports with the Wii in all regions except Japan. He also mentioned a similar battle over Wii Play and the Wii Remote, emphasizing that these decisions significantly contributed to the Wii's success.

Fils-Aimé's message is clear: free pack-ins have proven successful for Nintendo in the past, hinting that a similar strategy could benefit the Switch 2. Fans have picked up on this, with some expressing on social media that Fils-Aimé would have made Welcome Tour a free pack-in.

In a recent interview with IGN, Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, shed more light on Welcome Tour. Conducted at a Switch 2 preview event in New York, Trinen explained that Welcome Tour offers more depth than what was shown during the Nintendo Direct. He emphasized that the $9.99 price point was justified given the game's robust content and the detailed exploration of the Switch 2's features. Trinen also mentioned upcoming Nintendo Treehouse Live segments that would provide further insight into the game.

Welcome Tour is just one aspect of Nintendo's next-generation strategy, which has also faced scrutiny over the pricing of the Switch 2 at $450 and the $80 price for other Switch 2 games. Trinen addressed these concerns, defending the pricing decisions as reflective of the value provided by the new console and its games.