Former Blizzard Chief Comments on Switch 2: ‘Not Interested’

Former Blizzard and Xbox executive Mike Ybarra didn’t mince words when he expressed his opinion about the Nintendo Switch 2. During Nintendo’s hour-long Direct presentation on April 2, Ybarra bluntly described the new console as a “hard pass.” While some fans eagerly embraced the announcements, not everyone shared their enthusiasm.

Nintendo withheld pricing details during the Direct itself, but the subsequent press releases and official listings painted a clearer, if somewhat startling, picture. In the United States, the console is set to retail at $450, with some games reaching $80 or higher, depending on the edition. This steep pricing has stirred considerable frustration among fans, further fueled by what many see as Nintendo’s lack of transparency. Some former Nintendo PR managers even labeled the omission as “disrespectful.”

Following the Direct, Ybarra took to Twitter to voice his concerns. He criticized the pricing structure, highlighting the $80 price tag for games like Mario Kart World, and voiced his displeasure over the high cost of the console despite what he perceived as subpar performance. This sentiment isn’t unique to Ybarra; a wave of Nintendo fans has been vocal online, particularly on platforms like Reddit, expressing their discontent over the costs and the need for next-gen upgrades on existing titles.

Ybarra was not alone in his critique. He lambasted Nintendo’s heavy marketing push for its in-game chat feature, pointing out that other companies had long since embraced this technology. Additionally, he derided the graphical quality of “Tears of the Kingdom,” which despite running at 4K at 60fps, he compared to a game from the early 2000s. Other industry veterans, such as former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida, shared similar sentiments. He regarded the Direct as underwhelming and was taken aback by the pricing, though he did commend the console’s social features.

While the specifics of these criticisms vary, one common thread remains: the pricing of the Switch 2, both for the console and its first-party games, is a major sticking point. While $80 for a title like Mario Kart may seem excessive, it’s worth noting that older installments of the game cost similar amounts when adjusted for inflation. However, this doesn’t mitigate the reality that other studios manage to keep their game prices within the $60 to $70 range. The impact of these controversial pricing decisions and other debated features on the Switch 2’s sales remains to be seen. Yet, the growing discontent among fans likely isn’t the reception Nintendo anticipated.