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Former Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé has subtly referenced the historical success of free console pack-in titles—specifically Wii Sports—through a series of tweets responding to the recent backlash over Nintendo charging for its Switch 2 launch title, Welcome Tour.

The controversy surrounding the new console has grown beyond its $449.99 price point and the surprising $79.99 cost of Mario Kart World. Fans have also expressed disappointment that Welcome Tour, an interactive tutorial designed to introduce players to the Switch 2’s features, is not included for free with the system.

During its latest Nintendo Direct, the company unveiled Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, a game launching alongside the Switch 2 in June. The title functions as an educational tool wrapped in a game format, offering users a guided exploration of the console's hardware and capabilities.

Footage from the Nintendo Direct showed a small avatar navigating a stylized, oversized version of the Switch 2, discovering facts and hidden details about the console. It also showcased gameplay elements such as Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo.

IGN has confirmed that Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour will retail at $9.99 as a digital-only purchase. While this is significantly cheaper than other Switch 2 titles, many fans feel the game should be included for free—similar to how Astro’s Playroom was bundled with the PlayStation 5.

Now, Reggie Fils-Aimé has shared three clips from a two-year-old IGN interview where he recounted the internal debate with Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto over making Wii Sports a free pack-in with the original Wii console.

The story of Wii Sports pack in ...https://t.co/LhflSFWaL3
— Reggie Fils-Aimé (@Reggie) April 9, 2025

In the second clip, Fils-Aimé discussed another contentious decision—to bundle Wii Play with the Wii Remote. He admitted that his suggestion “pissed off” Miyamoto once again, stating, “He was not happy about that either.”

Finally, in a third tweet labeled “and the results,” Fils-Aimé reflected on the impact of those decisions:

“In the Americas and in Europe, Wii Sports was packed in with the Wii proposition. It was not in Japan, which created a bit of a test market. It was obvious that in the markets where Wii Sports was included, we became much more of a phenomenon. Wii Sports itself became much more of a phenomenon.

“We did pack the Remote with Wii Play. And it became the fifth best-selling piece of software in the history of the Wii.”

And the results.https://t.co/xrFTDeJMQf
— Reggie Fils-Aimé (@Reggie) April 9, 2025

Fils-Aimé’s message is clear—even if unspoken directly. By highlighting the past success of free pack-ins like Wii Sports, he indirectly suggests that a similar strategy could benefit Nintendo today with Welcome Tour on Switch 2.

Fans quickly picked up on the subtext. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote: “Hahaha, guys I think Reggie is watching our comments about the Switch 2.” Another added: “We know you would have packed in Welcome Tour.”

This week, IGN published an interview with Bill Trinen, Nintendo of America’s Vice President of Product and Player Experience, conducted during a recent Switch 2 preview event in New York—before news broke about pre-order delays caused by Trump-era tariffs.

Trinen emphasized that Welcome Tour offers more depth than initially shown during the Nintendo Direct or even in early media hands-on sessions. Based on the full scope of the game, Nintendo believes the $9.99 price tag is fair and justified.

Reggie fought for Wii Sports as a free Wii pack-in. Photo by Susan Goldman/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

“It's an interesting product,” Trinen explained. “We're actually getting ready today—we're going to be doing some Nintendo Treehouse Live segments and covering a lot of games in detail. That's one of them. And I think people will be able to see through Treehouse Live probably a little bit more maybe than you were able to see on the show floor. It's a pretty robust piece of software. There's a lot of great detail in there.

“For some people, I think there are those who are particularly interested in the tech and specs of the system—and for them, I think it's going to be a great product. It's really for people who want more in-depth information about the system rather than just a quick overview of what it does.

“And for that reason—and considering the amount of care and work that the team put into it—I think it was decided that, ‘Yeah, this feels like $9.99 is not an exorbitant price. It feels like a good value for what you're getting out of the product.’”

Of course, Welcome Tour is only one element of Nintendo’s broader Switch 2 strategy that has sparked debate. IGN has also reported on Trinen’s response to questions about Nintendo’s decision to charge $80 for select Switch 2 games, as well as the system’s $450 price point.