Amidst widespread backlash over the pricing of the Nintendo Switch 2 and its flagship game, Mario Kart World, two former Nintendo PR managers, Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, have labeled the situation as "a true crisis moment for Nintendo." In a detailed video on their YouTube channel, the former Nintendo of America (NOA) PR managers expressed their concerns over the $449.99 price tag for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price for Mario Kart World.

Ellis stated, "I don’t want to blow things out of proportion, but this does feel like a true crisis moment for Nintendo." The controversy isn't limited to Mario Kart World; other Switch 2 titles, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, are also priced at $79.99. Additionally, Nintendo has faced criticism for charging for the Switch 2 tutorial experience, Welcome Tour, which many fans believe should be included for free. This is in contrast to Astro's Playroom, which comes pre-installed on every PlayStation 5 as a free tech demo for the DualSense controller.

The frustration with the pricing has even disrupted Nintendo’s Treehouse livestreams, with viewers flooding the chat with demands to "DROP THE PRICE." Ellis and Yang criticized Nintendo's approach to revealing the prices, pointing out the absence of pricing details in the Direct presentation itself, which they described as a "deliberate" omission that led to confusion and misinformation among fans.

Nintendo Switch 2 System and Accessories Gallery

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Yang claimed, "The Switch 2 and Mario Kart World pricing was intentionally omitted from the Direct for a reason, but handled poorly in terms of the information being in all these different places and you’re expecting the fans or the consumer to piece it all together." Ellis added, "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 further remarked, "It’s a little bit degrading almost to the intelligence of the consumer." The former NOA communications team highlighted Nintendo's failure to address the pricing concerns publicly or through press interviews, which has led to rampant speculation and misinformation.

Yang stated, "They are enabling the story to get out of hand, out of control," with Ellis adding, "They have lost control of this." The duo suggested that Nintendo has lost the consumer mindfulness it once had, especially after the retirement of former NOA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé and the tragic loss of former Nintendo head Satoru Iwata.

Yang mentioned that Nintendo’s communications team is likely to recommend an official statement, but the approval process will be cumbersome, involving many people before reaching current Nintendo boss Shuntaro Furukawa. The company is also out of practice in communicating with its community and press, and hasn't dealt with such negativity since the Nintendo 3DS price debacle in 2011.

There is also concern for the staff at public-facing Switch 2 hands-on sessions, as fans may ask questions that could be interpreted as Nintendo's official stance if responded to online. Both Ellis and Yang do not anticipate a price drop for the Switch 2 or its games before launch.

For further insights, explore everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, and see what the experts have to say about the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World’s $80 price tag.