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Former Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé has invoked the story of Wii Sports, the bundled game for the Wii, in subtly worded tweets addressing the debate over Nintendo's choice to charge for the Switch 2's tutorial experience, Welcome Tour.
Amid the uproar surrounding the Switch 2's $449.99 price point and the $79.99 cost of Mario Kart World, many were also taken aback by Nintendo's decision to put a price on the interactive instruction manual, Welcome Tour.
Nintendo unveiled Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour during its recent Nintendo Direct presentation. This software, launching alongside the Switch 2 in June, provides a guided, game-like introduction to the console's features.
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is described as a "virtual exhibition" of the new hardware. According to Nintendo, "through tech demos, minigames, and interactive experiences, players will gain an in-depth understanding of the new system, discovering functionalities they might not have known about."
The Nintendo Direct showcased footage of a small avatar exploring an oversized model of the Switch 2, learning about its various features and specifications. It also includes 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 will be sold exclusively as a digital product. While this is considerably less expensive than other Switch 2 titles, IGN has reported complaints from some Nintendo fans that Welcome Tour carries any cost at all. Many argue it should be a pack-in title for the Switch 2, similar to how the DualSense tech demo Astro's Playroom was included with the PlayStation 5.
Now, Fils-Aimé has tweeted three segments from IGN's interview with the former Nintendo executive two years ago, where he discussed his internal debate with legendary developer Shigeru Miyamoto over bundling Wii Sports for free with the immensely successful Wii console.
In the first clip, Fils-Aimé states, "it is an understatement to say that Mr. Miyamoto pushed back" on the proposal to include Wii Sports with the Wii console. As history shows, Fils-Aimé largely won this battle, with Wii Sports bundled with the Wii in all regions except Japan.
The story of Wii Sports pack in ...https://t.co/LhflSFWaL3
— Reggie Fils-Aimé (@Reggie) April 9, 2025
The second interview clip shared by Fils-Aimé highlights a similar conflict over bundling Wii Play with the Wii Remote. In the excerpt from our interview, Fils-Aimé admitted he "pissed off" Miyamoto once again with the idea. "He was not happy about that either."
Finally, by tweeting "and the results," Fils-Aimé highlighted the portion of our interview where he explains that, in the end, this strategy proved to be the correct one.
“In the Americas and Europe, Wii Sports was included with the Wii system. It wasn't in Japan, which created a kind of test market. It was clear that in markets where Wii Sports was bundled, the console became a much bigger phenomenon. Wii Sports itself became a massive hit.
“We also bundled the Remote with Wii Play. And that became the fifth best-selling software title in the history of the Wii.”
And the results.https://t.co/xrFTDeJMQf
— Reggie Fils-Aimé (@Reggie) April 9, 2025
Fils-Aimé's intention is evident. While he isn't directly criticizing Nintendo's Switch 2 strategy, he is making the case that free pack-in software has historically benefited Nintendo consoles, suggesting it could do the same for the Switch 2.
Fans have picked up on the message, too. “Hahaha, guys, I think Reggie is watching our comments about the Switch 2,” one X/Twitter user remarked. “We know you would have bundled Welcome Tour,” added another.
This week, IGN published its interview with Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, which took place at a recent Switch 2 preview event in New York, prior to Nintendo's announcement of a pre-order delay due to Trump’s tariffs.
Trinen stated that Welcome Tour offers more than what was shown during the Nintendo Direct or in recent media hands-on sessions. Given the actual content of the game, Nintendo determined that $9.99 “is not an unreasonable price,” he added.
“It's a unique product,” Trinen explained. “We're preparing today to do several Nintendo Treehouse Live segments that will cover many games in detail, including this one. I believe through Treehouse Live, people will get a deeper look than what was available on the show floor. It's a fairly substantial piece of software with a great deal of detail.
“For some users, particularly those interested in the technology and specifications of the system, I think it will be an excellent product. It's really for people who want more in-depth information about the system, rather than just a quick overview.
"Given the effort and care the development team invested, it was decided that, 'Yes, $9.99 does not feel excessive. It represents good value for what you receive from the product.'"
Welcome Tour is, of course, just one aspect of Nintendo's next-generation strategy generating discussion. We also have Trinen's response to questions about the company's decision to set Switch 2 game prices at $80, as well as the $450 price tag for the Switch 2 itself.
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