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

Reggie Fils-Aimé, the former president of Nintendo of America, has subtly addressed 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. Amid 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 an interactive instruction manual, Welcome Tour, has also drawn significant attention.

During its recent Nintendo Direct, Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, a game set to launch alongside the Switch 2 in June. This game serves as a guided tour of the console, presented in video game format. Nintendo describes Welcome Tour as a "virtual exhibition" of the new hardware, where players can explore the system through tech demos, mini-games, and other interactive elements to gain a comprehensive understanding of its features.

The Nintendo Direct showcased a small player avatar navigating a larger-than-life Switch 2, discovering its features and engaging with mini-games like Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo. IGN confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is priced at $9.99 and will be available exclusively in digital format. Despite being more affordable than other Switch 2 titles, some Nintendo fans have expressed discontent, arguing that Welcome Tour should be included as a free pack-in, similar to how Astro's Playroom was bundled with the PlayStation 5.

Fils-Aimé took to X (formerly Twitter) to share clips from a previous IGN interview where he recounted his efforts to include Wii Sports as a free pack-in for the Wii console. He highlighted his battles with Shigeru Miyamoto, who initially resisted the idea. Fils-Aimé's persistence paid off, as Wii Sports was bundled with the Wii in all regions except Japan. He also mentioned a similar push to include Wii Play with the Wii Remote, which Miyamoto also opposed but ultimately became the fifth best-selling piece of software for the Wii.

Fils-Aimé's posts subtly suggest that including free pack-ins, like Welcome Tour, could replicate the success Nintendo experienced with the Wii. Fans have picked up on his hints, with some directly connecting his comments to the current Switch 2 situation.

In a recent interview with IGN, Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, defended the $9.99 price tag for Welcome Tour. He explained that the game offers more than what was shown during the Nintendo Direct and hands-on previews, describing it as a robust piece of software with detailed information about the Switch 2's technology and features. Trinen emphasized that the price reflects the value and effort put into the product.

Welcome Tour is just one element of Nintendo's next-gen strategy, which has also stirred controversy due to the pricing of the Switch 2 itself at $450 and its games, such as Mario Kart World, at $80. Trinen's comments on these pricing decisions further illustrate Nintendo's approach to its new console and its ecosystem.