Summary
Two former Nintendo PR managers have spoken out regarding the recentSwitch 2reveal, criticizing the company for how it handled certain aspects of the April 2 Direct. Although eager gamers were largely positive about the many titles coming to theSwitch 2, the cost of the console and its games has prompted backlash.
During a recent hour-long stream, Nintendo finally answered countless questions consumers had about its upcoming console, including its specs and accessories. Manygames coming to the Switch 2were highlighted during the highly anticipated show, from first-party titles likeMario Kart WorldandDonkey Kong Bananzato third-party entries likeCyberpunk 2077andFinal Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. With plenty of surprises and untold hype surrounding the Direct, Nintendo fans were initially positive about the showcase. However, after the dust settled, it quickly became clear that the company had frustrated its community in more ways than one.
In a newYouTube video(spotted byIGN), former Nintendo PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang gave their thoughts regarding the recent Switch 2 Direct, calling out the company’s lack of transparency when it came to pricing. While a release date of June 5 was revealed during the presentation,the Nintendo Switch 2’s $449.99 price tagwasn’t shared during the lengthy livestream, tasking consumers with finding the information on their own. Additionally, certain games will cost upwards of $79.99, but this information also wasn’t directly stated. According to the pair, this felt like a “deliberate” omission. “It just shows some disrespect to the consumer,” Ellis said. “You’re just gonna throw your money at us blindly, you’re not going to even ask the question of how much it costs because you’re so excited, aren’t you?” The former employees conclude that the story has gotten out of hand, and that Nintendo has entirely lost control of the situation following what should have been a positive moment in the company’s history.
Former Nintendo PR Managers Call Out Nintendo for Switch 2 Reveal
Players were also left disappointed byNintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, a tutorial for the system that will come at a price. Many were quick to bring upAstro’s Playroom, a platformer made to show off the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller, which came pre-loaded on every Sony console when it launched in 2020. The day after the Switch 2 Direct, theNintendo Treehouse livestream was overrun by angry viewers, with the majority of comments demanding that Nintendo drop the price of its console and games.
Despite the ongoing controversy, many were impressed bythe specs of the Nintendo Switch 2, with the system boasting a nearly 8-inch screen and improved visuals. The Switch 2 will also feature 256GB of internal storage and quicker loading speeds than its predecessor, along with newly designed Joy-Cons featuring mouse functionality for certain titles.
