Reggie Fils-Aimé Highlights Wii Sports Success Amid Switch 2 Backlash

Reggie Fils-Aimé, the former head of Nintendo of America, has subtly weighed in on the controversy surrounding Nintendo's decision to charge for the Switch 2 tutorial game, Welcome Tour, by sharing insights from the story of Wii Sports. Amidst the uproar over the $449.99 price of the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World's $79.99 price tag, the decision to charge for Welcome Tour has also sparked significant debate among fans.

During last week's Nintendo Direct, Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, set to launch alongside the Switch 2 in June. This game offers an interactive guided tour of the console in a video game format, described as a "virtual exhibition" of the new hardware. Players will explore the system's features through tech demos, mini-games, and other interactions, such as Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo.

IGN has confirmed that Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour will be priced at $9.99 and will be available only digitally. While this is considerably less than other Switch 2 games, many fans have expressed their discontent, arguing that Welcome Tour should be included for free with the console, much like Astro's Playroom was with the PlayStation 5.

Reggie Fils-Aimé has shared three clips from an IGN interview conducted two years ago, where he discussed his efforts to include Wii Sports as a free pack-in with the Wii. In the first clip, Fils-Aimé reveals the pushback he faced from Shigeru Miyamoto over this decision, yet he ultimately succeeded in having Wii Sports bundled with the Wii in all regions except Japan. The second clip highlights a similar struggle to bundle Wii Play with the Wii Remote, which also met with resistance from Miyamoto. Finally, Fils-Aimé shared the results of these decisions, noting that Wii Sports significantly boosted the Wii's success in regions where it was included as a pack-in, and Wii Play became the fifth best-selling software for the Wii.

Although Fils-Aimé did not directly address the Switch 2's strategy, his tweets suggest that including free pack-ins has proven successful for Nintendo in the past, implying it could work well for the Switch 2 as well. Fans have quickly picked up on his message, with some humorously noting that Fils-Aimé is likely aware of the ongoing discussions about the Switch 2.

In an interview with IGN, Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, offered more insight into Welcome Tour. He emphasized that the game offers more than what was shown during the Nintendo Direct, suggesting that its $9.99 price tag reflects the depth and detail of the product. Trinen explained that Welcome Tour is designed for those interested in the technical aspects and specifications of the Switch 2, rather than just a quick introduction to its features.

Welcome Tour is just one aspect of Nintendo's next-gen strategy that has stirred controversy. Trinen also addressed questions regarding the company's decision to price Switch 2 games at $80 and set the console's price at $450.