Amid backlash over Switch 2's paid answer to Astro's Playroom, former Nintendo of America president looks back on success of free pack-in games like Wii Sports

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Welcome Tour is certainly no Wii Sports

Holding the Nintendo Switch 2
(Image credit: Future / Nintendo)

After the recent Nintendo Switch 2 news and the reveal of Welcome Tour, the controversial software that basically functions like a paid user manual or mix of Astro's Playroom and PlayStation Home, one former Nintendo of America president fondly looks back on free pack-in games like Wii Sports.

Unlike Welcome Tour on the Switch 2, Wii Sports came with Wii consoles entirely for free at launch (everywhere except Japan, at least). The same can be said for software like Astro's Playroom on the PlayStation 5. Welcome Tour, on the other hand, takes users through the ins and outs of Switch 2 hardware for a fee rather than for free.

It's seems it's not only fans that aren't too impressed with the pricing of the Welcome Tour software, however. Reginald "Reggie" Fils-Aimé, who served as Nintendo of America president from 2006 to 2019, has started an online thread in which he highlights free pack-in games from the Wii era, with Wii Sports and Wii Play (the latter of which didn't come for free with the console, but bundled in with Wii Remotes). While he doesn't formally bring up Welcome Tour in any of his posts, the timing is impossible to ignore.

Nintendo users seem to agree, too. "Hahaha, guys," comments one fan, "I think Reggie is watching our comments about the Switch 2." Another simply says, "Reggie seeing the Switch 2 discourse," a reaction image attached. Further down, someone jokes, "We know you would have packed in Welcome Tour." The former president has yet to respond to any of the replies under his interestingly-timed thread himself, though.

As a longtime Nintendo stan myself, I'd love to think his posts are actually subtle shots at the new console's paid launch software. There's no way of telling what Fils-Aimé is thinking, however, but either way, one thing's for certain – I personally won't be paying for Welcome Tour come the Switch 2's long-awaited arrival on June 5, especially after setting aside a whopping $450 or so for the Switch 2 pre-orders.

Here are some of the most exciting upcoming Switch 2 games to look forward to.

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Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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