Reggie Fils-Aimé Defends Wii Sports Legacy Amid Switch 2 Criticism

Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has referenced the Wii Sports inclusion strategy in subtle tweets addressing debates around Nintendo's decision to monetize the Switch 2 tutorial experience Welcome Tour.

Amidst controversy surrounding the Switch 2's $449.99 MSRP and Mario Kart World's $79.99 pricing, many fans expressed surprise at Nintendo charging for Welcome Tour - an interactive system tutorial.

Nintendo unveiled Switch 2 Welcome Tour during last week's Direct presentation. Launching simultaneously with the console in June, this experience presents a gamified hardware introduction.

Welcome Tour is positioned as a "virtual exhibition" showcasing system capabilities through interactive demos and minigames that reveal hardware features users might otherwise never discover.

The Direct showcased gameplay featuring an avatar exploring an oversized Switch 2 model while learning system specifications through interactive exhibits and minigames like Speed Golf and physics demonstrations.

IGN verified Welcome Tour carries a $9.99 digital-only price point - lower than standard Switch 2 titles but sparking criticism that it should be included free like PlayStation 5's Astro's Playroom.

Fils-Aimé shared three clips from a previous IGN interview detailing his internal debate with Shigeru Miyamoto about including Wii Sports as a free pack-in. The eventual compromise saw bundled distribution everywhere except Japan.

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

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

Additional clips referenced similar negotiations around bundling Wii Play with controllers, with Fils-Aimé admitting these discussions "pissed off" Miyamoto despite proving commercially successful.

The final clip highlighted how markets receiving bundled software experienced significantly stronger adoption, with Wii Play becoming the console's fifth best-selling title.

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

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

While not directly addressing current Nintendo decisions, Fils-Aimé clearly suggested free pack-ins historically benefited hardware launches. Fans immediately recognized the implication regarding Welcome Tour's pricing.

During IGN's interview with Nintendo's Bill Trinen prior to the preorder delay announcement, the executive defended Welcome Tour's pricing by emphasizing its depth beyond initial previews.

"It's a robust product with significant detail for tech enthusiasts," Trinen explained, noting upcoming Treehouse Live segments would better showcase its value. "The team's extensive work justifies the $9.99 price as fair compensation for the experience."

Welcome Tour represents just one facet of Nintendo's next-gen strategy drawing scrutiny, alongside responses regarding $80 software pricing and the console's $450 base price.