Switch 2 Sells Big Despite Pricey Launch: Did Nintendo Learn the Wrong Lesson?

Nintendo’s Switch 2 has defied critics, achieving record-breaking sales despite its $450 price tag and the $80 cost of flagship titles like “Mario Kart World.” The console moved a staggering 3.5 million units in its first four days, making it Nintendo’s fastest-selling hardware ever. However, former Nintendo marketing executives suggest this success might reinforce a potentially harmful strategy for the company.

Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang, former hosts of Nintendo Minute and veterans of Nintendo of America’s marketing team, discussed the implications of the Switch 2 launch on their podcast. They highlighted the initial backlash over the console’s price and the game card format. Ellis noted Nintendo’s consistent approach: “They made a decision that they were not going to engage on these topics.”

According to Ellis, Nintendo’s strategy is to “sit it out,” avoiding direct responses to criticism. Yang corroborated this, stating that during their time at Nintendo, the communications team frequently opted for a “do not engage” policy. The rationale is that public outrage often subsides if ignored.

Yang quipped, “They don’t have, like, any human emotion. I’m not saying this to be mean or something, but it’s like you’re talking to a robot with no heart…They are like a faceless corporate robot.” This perceived detachment allows Nintendo to weather storms of online criticism without altering course.

While acknowledging the company’s impressive sales figures despite negative feedback, Ellis and Yang expressed concern that this success could encourage Nintendo to prioritize profit over customer satisfaction. Yang warned, “You’re basically teaching them that they can continue to do this to you…this is not a good lesson to learn.”

Ellis added, “Long-term aggravating your most passionate fans, it doesn’t seem like a good thing to do.” However, they admitted that advocating for a more responsive approach internally was challenging. Nintendo often relies on the anticipation of future releases to quell discontent.

Concluding the discussion, Ellis voiced his hope that Nintendo wouldn’t adopt a strategy of “We’re going to get away with whatever we can, we’re going to squeeze as much money as we can.” Yang echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the Switch 2’s launch might have inadvertently reinforced this very lesson. Ellis cautioned, “This is gonna get ugly at some point.”

Check out our comprehensive Switch 2 review and our curated list of the best Switch 2 games!