Reggie Fils-Aimé Defends Wii Sports Strategy for Switch 2

Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has subtly referenced the history of the Wii pack-in game Wii Sports in tweets that appear to comment on the debate over Nintendo's choice to sell the Switch 2 tutorial experience, Welcome Tour.

Amidst the wider discussions about the Switch 2's $449.99 price point and the $79.99 cost of Mario Kart World, Nintendo's decision to charge for the interactive tutorial, Welcome Tour, also drew surprise.

Nintendo unveiled Welcome Tour for the Nintendo Switch 2 during last week's Nintendo Direct. This software, launching alongside the console in June, provides a guided, gameplay-based introduction to the new system's features.

Welcome Tour is presented as a "virtual exhibition" of the new hardware. According to Nintendo, "through tech demos, minigames, and other interactive elements, players will gain a deep, hands-on understanding of the system's capabilities."

The Nintendo Direct preview showed a player avatar exploring a magnified model of the Switch 2, learning about various console features. It also includes minigames like Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo.

IGN has confirmed Welcome Tour is priced at $9.99 and will be a digital-only release. While cheaper than full-priced Switch 2 games, IGN has noted complaints from some fans who believe it should be included free with the console, similar to how Astro's Playroom was bundled with the PlayStation 5.

Fils-Aimé has now shared three clips from a previous IGN interview where he detailed his internal debate with legendary developer Shigeru Miyamoto over bundling Wii Sports free with the hugely popular Wii console.

In the first clip, Fils-Aimé states, "it is an understatement to say that Mr. Miyamoto pushed back" on the proposal to make Wii Sports a pack-in. As history shows, Fils-Aimé largely prevailed, 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 shared clip highlights a similar effort to bundle Wii Play with the Wii Remote. In the interview, Fils-Aimé revealed this suggestion "pissed off" Miyamoto once again. "He was not happy about that either."

Finally, tweeting "and the results," Fils-Aimé shared the segment where he explains why these decisions proved correct.

“In the Americas and Europe, Wii Sports was packed in with the Wii. It wasn't in Japan, which created a natural test market. It was clear that in markets where Wii Sports was included, the console became a much bigger phenomenon. The game itself became a phenomenon.

“We also bundled the Remote with Wii Play. That title became the fifth best-selling software in Wii's history.”

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

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

Fils-Aimé's intent seems clear. While not directly criticizing Nintendo's current strategy, he underscores that free pack-in software has historically benefited Nintendo's consoles, suggesting a similar approach could work for the Switch 2.

Fans have picked up on the subtext. "Hahaha, guys I think Reggie is watching our comments about the Switch 2," said one social media user. Another added, "We know you would have bundled Welcome Tour."

This week, IGN published an interview with Nintendo of America's Vice President of Product and Player Experience, Bill Trinen, conducted at a recent Switch 2 preview event. The interview took place before Nintendo announced a pre-order delay related to tariffs.

Trinen suggested there is more depth to Welcome Tour than shown in the Direct or during brief hands-on sessions. Given the actual content, Nintendo believes $9.99 "is not an exorbitant price," he explained.

“It's an interesting product,” Trinen said. “We're preparing Nintendo Treehouse Live segments that will cover many games in detail, including this one. Viewers will likely see more depth there than was possible on a show floor demo. It's quite robust software with a lot of great detail.

“For people particularly interested in the system's tech and specs, I think it will be a great product. It's for those who want deeper information, not just a quick overview.

"Given the care and work the team invested, it was decided that $9.99 represents a fair value for what the product delivers."

Welcome Tour is just one aspect of Nintendo's next-gen strategy sparking discussion. IGN has also covered Trinen's response to questions about the company's pricing for $80 Switch 2 games and the $450 console itself.