‘Why Would You Make People Pay for That?’ Nintendo’s Decision to Charge for Switch 2 Tutorial Game Welcome Tour Sparks Backlash

Amid the furore around the $449.99 price of the Switch 2 and Mario Kart World’s $79.99 price tag, there is shock at Nintendo’s decision to charge for the console’s tutorial game, Welcome Tour.

Nintendo revealed Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour during its Nintendo Direct. It’s a game set to launch alongside the Switch 2 in June, and offers a guided tour of the console itself in video game form.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is described as a “virtual exhibition” of the new hardware. Per Nintendo, “through tech demos, minigames and other interactions, players will get to know the new system inside and out in ways they may never have known about otherwise.”

The Nintendo Direct showed footage of a small player avatar exploring a super-sized Switch 2, reading about the different features and facts about the console. It also includes mini-games such as Speed Golf, Dodge the Spiked Balls, and a Maracas Physics Demo.

While Nintendo has yet to announce a price for Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour in the U.S., it has confirmed a price of ¥990 yen in Japan, which currently converts to approximately $6.76.

Still, fans are bemoaning the fact it costs any money at all. “This is a literal tech demo of your console, why would you make people pay for that?” said redditor Trabless.

“Audibly laughed when they called this a paid title,” added KMoosetoe. “Hope nobody buys this bulls**t.”

“When they were showing it I was like, ‘Nice. A neat little thing to get you familiar with the system,’ ” commented Opening_Proof_1365. “As soon as they said paid I literally laughed out loud and said, ‘why would someone pay for that?’ “

Many are now pointing to Sony’s various PlayStation console pack-ins, saying Nintendo should have followed suit. Astro’s Playroom, for example, comes pre-installed on every PlayStation 5 console, serving additionally as a free tech demo for the DualSense controller.

“Yet PS5 came with a free game just to showcase the capabilities of the DualSense,” Radical_X75 said. “I thought this was the same until they said this is paid. It makes no sense.”

“Steam Deck came out with Aperture Desk Job,” added Zanytiger6. “Nintendo is crazy for charging for a tour of a console you just purchased for over $400.”

Pricing is the hot topic following the Nintendo Direct, with some baulking at the Switch 2 price and the $79.99 cost of Mario Kart World, among other Switch 2 games. For more context, be sure to check out IGN’s article revealing what the experts have to say about Nintendo’s Switch 2 and Mario Kart World pricing.

And, in case you missed out, check out all the news announced during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].