Amidst the intense backlash to the announced pricing of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Mario Kart World, two former Nintendo PR managers have labeled the situation as "a true crisis moment for Nintendo." In a video on their YouTube channel, ex-Nintendo of America PR managers Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang took a critical stance on the way Nintendo disclosed the $449.99 price for the Switch 2 and the $79.99 price tag for Mario Kart World.

"I don’t want to overstate things, but this feels like a true crisis moment for Nintendo," Ellis remarked. The pricing controversy extends beyond Mario Kart World; other Switch 2 titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom are also priced at $79.99. Moreover, Nintendo faced criticism for charging for the Switch 2 tutorial game, Welcome Tour, which many fans believe should be a complimentary pack-in, similar to Astro's Playroom on the PlayStation 5.

The discontent has even infiltrated Nintendo's Treehouse livestreams, where viewers have been flooding the chat with messages demanding a price drop. Ellis and Yang were particularly vocal about the manner in which Nintendo revealed the prices, pointing out the omission of pricing information during the Direct presentation. They believe this was a deliberate move that led to widespread confusion and misinformation as fans sought out pricing details elsewhere.

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Yang suggested that the pricing was "intentionally omitted from the Direct for a reason," but criticized the execution, noting that fans were left to piece together information from various sources. Ellis echoed this sentiment, suggesting that Nintendo's approach showed a lack of respect for consumers, implying that fans would purchase the products out of excitement without considering the cost.

"It’s a little bit degrading almost to the intelligence of the consumer," Yang added. The former NOA communications staff further discussed Nintendo's failure to address the pricing concerns either through public statements or media interviews, which has fueled rampant speculation and misinformation.

"They are enabling the story to get out of hand, out of control," Yang said, with Ellis adding, "They have lost control of this." Both former managers suggested that Nintendo has lost the consumer mindfulness it once had, particularly after the departure of key figures like Reggie Fils-Aimé and Satoru Iwata.

Yang mentioned that Nintendo's communications team would likely recommend an official statement, but the process to get approval could be lengthy and challenging. Additionally, Nintendo's communications team may be out of practice, as the company hasn't engaged with its community or the press in this manner since the Nintendo 3DS price controversy in 2011.

Concerns were also raised about staff at public Switch 2 demo stations, who may face tough questions from fans. Any responses from these staff members could be misconstrued as official statements from Nintendo.

As for what happens next, neither Ellis nor Yang anticipates a price reduction for the Switch 2 or its games before their launch. For further details, check out everything announced at the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct and expert analyses on the Switch 2 price and Mario Kart World's $80 price tag.