It’s understandable that a company would want to protect the value of its products. Nintendo, for instance, has been firm in not discounting its titles — many of the games released alongside the original Switch in 2017 are still sold at full price. And they’re well within their rights to do so. But it’s a very different matter when players are expected to accept practices that border on exploitation, such as paying for a pseudo-game that is, in reality, just an interactive instruction manual.
That’s exactly what Welcome Tour is — unveiled on April 2nd, it marked the breaking point for many fans. It’s an interactive guide bundled with the upcoming Switch 2, which officially launches in Spain the day after tomorrow. Disguised as a “game,” Nintendo is asking players to shell out 10 euros for an experience that could’ve easily been a free YouTube video.
The road to this launch has been far from smooth for players: first came the 470-euro price tag for the console — with no game included. Then, Mario Kart World launched in physical format at a staggering 90 euros. And to top it all off, Nintendo introduced paid graphical “enhancements” for original Switch games, charging between 10 and 20 euros per title.
Against this backdrop, the Welcome Tour feels like the final twist of the knife. Yes, it’s technically polished, bears Nintendo’s signature charm, and features simple, intuitive interactions. But let’s not kid ourselves: it’s still just an instruction manual with some bells and whistles. A small virtual world where characters guide users through the new features of the console — as if that were worth a separate price tag.
The contrast with other companies is stark. Even Sony, not exactly known for handing out freebies, included Astro’s Playroom for free with the PlayStation 5 — a title widely praised as one of the best of its generation.
Nintendo, however, has chosen to monetize its manual. The company has released a promotional video highlighting the Welcome Tour’s strengths — its polished presentation and user-friendly design. But that doesn’t justify charging for it. It’s not a real game. It doesn’t offer a full entertainment experience. And for many players, its price tag makes it instantly skippable.
Because ultimately, the real issue with the Welcome Tour isn’t whether it’s well-made or not — it’s the fact that it costs money. And that’s where Nintendo seems to have lost its way.
