Reggie Fils-Aimé Highlights Wii Sports Success Amid Switch 2 Tour 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. Amidst the uproar over the $449.99 price tag of the Switch 2 and the $79.99 cost of Mario Kart World, fans were taken aback by the decision to monetize the interactive instruction manual, Welcome Tour.

Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour during last week's Nintendo Direct. Set to launch alongside the Switch 2 in June, this game offers an immersive guided tour of the console in video game format.

Described as a "virtual exhibition" of the new hardware, Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour enables players to explore the system through tech demos, mini-games, and other interactions. The Nintendo Direct showcased a small player avatar navigating a larger-than-life Switch 2, learning about its features and engaging in mini-games like Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo.

IGN has confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour will be priced at $9.99 and will only be available digitally. While this is less than other Switch 2 games, some Nintendo fans have expressed their discontent about having to pay for what they believe should be a free pack-in, similar to how Astro's Playroom was included with the PlayStation 5.

In response, Fils-Aimé has shared three clips from a two-year-old IGN interview where he discussed his efforts to include Wii Sports as a free pack-in with the Wii console. In the first clip, he mentions the resistance he faced from Shigeru Miyamoto, saying, "it is an understatement to say that Mr. Miyamoto pushed back" on the idea. Despite this, Fils-Aimé's push for Wii Sports to be included with the Wii was successful in markets outside Japan.

The story of Wii Sports pack in ... https://t.co/LhflSFWaL3

— Reggie Fils-Aimé (@Reggie) April 9, 2025

The second clip highlighted a similar battle to bundle Wii Play with the Wii Remote, where Fils-Aimé humorously admitted to "pissing off" Miyamoto again. The final clip underscored the success of these decisions, noting, "In the Americas and in Europe, Wii Sports was packed in with the Wii proposition... It was obvious that in the markets where Wii Sports was packed in that we became much more of a phenomenon."

And the results. https://t.co/xrFTDeJMQf

— Reggie Fils-Aimé (@Reggie) April 9, 2025

Fils-Aimé's tweets subtly suggest that including free pack-ins has historically benefited Nintendo's consoles, hinting that a similar strategy could be effective for the Switch 2. Fans have picked up on this, with comments like "Hahaha, guys I think Reggie is watching our comments about the Switch 2," and "We know you would have packed in Welcome Tour."

In a recent interview with IGN, Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, offered more insight into Welcome Tour. Speaking at a Switch 2 preview event in New York, Trinen emphasized the depth of the game, saying, "It's a pretty robust piece of software. There's a lot of great detail in there." He justified the $9.99 price by highlighting the value it provides to those interested in the technical aspects of the system.

Trinen also mentioned upcoming Nintendo Treehouse Live segments that would further showcase the game's features. He concluded by stating, "For that reason and just the amount of care and work that the team put into it, I think it was decided that, 'Yeah, this feels like $9.99 is not an exorbitant price. It feels like a good value for what you're getting out of the product.' "

Welcome Tour is part of a broader conversation about Nintendo's pricing strategy for the Switch 2, which also includes Trinen's response to questions about the $80 price point for Switch 2 games and the $450 cost of the console itself.