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

Former Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aimé has subtly addressed the controversy over 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 about the $449.99 price tag of the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World's $79.99 cost, the decision to charge for the interactive instruction manual, Welcome Tour, has been met with significant backlash.

Nintendo unveiled Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour during its recent Nintendo Direct. Set to launch alongside the Switch 2 in June, this game offers a comprehensive guided tour of the new console through an interactive video game format. Described as a "virtual exhibition" of the new hardware, it includes tech demos, mini-games, and other interactions designed to familiarize players with the system's features. The Nintendo Direct showcased footage of a player avatar navigating a larger-than-life Switch 2, learning about its features through mini-games like Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo.

IGN has confirmed that Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is priced at $9.99 and available only digitally. Although this is less than other Switch 2 titles, many fans have expressed frustration over having to pay for what they believe should be a complimentary pack-in, similar to Astro's Playroom for the PlayStation 5.

Reggie Fils-Aimé, in a series of tweets, revisited his past battles with Shigeru Miyamoto over including Wii Sports as a free pack-in with the Wii console. In a clip from an IGN interview, Fils-Aimé recounted how he managed to convince Nintendo to bundle Wii Sports with the Wii in all regions except Japan, which served as a test market. The success of this strategy was evident, as Wii Sports significantly boosted the console's popularity in regions where it was included.

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

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

Fils-Aimé also shared his experience with bundling Wii Play with the Wii Remote, another decision that Miyamoto initially opposed but ultimately proved successful, becoming the fifth best-selling piece of software for the Wii.

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

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

While Fils-Aimé didn't directly comment on the Switch 2 strategy, his tweets suggest a belief that free pack-ins have historically benefited Nintendo's console sales and could do so again with the Switch 2. Fans have picked up on his hints, with some humorously suggesting that Fils-Aimé is closely following the community's reactions to the Switch 2 pricing and Welcome Tour.

In a recent interview with IGN, Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, elaborated on the Welcome Tour. Conducted at a Switch 2 preview event in New York before the announcement of pre-order delays due to Trump's tariffs, Trinen emphasized the depth of the Welcome Tour beyond what was shown in the Nintendo Direct. He highlighted that the $9.99 price reflects the extensive detail and value the game offers, especially for those interested in the technical aspects of the new system.

Trinen noted, "It's an interesting product. We're actually getting ready today, we're going to be doing some Nintendo Treehouse Live segments and covering a lot of games in detail. That's one of them. And I think people will be able to see through Treehouse Live probably a little bit more maybe than you were able to see on the show floor. It's a pretty robust piece of software. There's a lot of great detail in there."

He added that the Welcome Tour is particularly valuable for those eager to delve into the system's tech and specs, justifying its $9.99 price as a fair value for the detailed information it provides.

The Welcome Tour is just one aspect of Nintendo's next-generation strategy that has sparked controversy, alongside decisions like setting $80 price points for Switch 2 games and the $450 price for the Switch 2 itself.