Former Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aimé recently revealed that Nintendo stopped selling its Wii and DS consoles on Amazon because the company attempted to get a better financial deal than Walmart. While Nintendo and Amazon later resolved their issues, Fils-Aimé described Amazon’s initial requests as unlawful and excessive.
Nintendo continued to be a major player in the video game industry throughout the mid-to-late 2000s. Although the GameCube had some weaknesses, the release of the DS in 2004 and the Wii in 2006 revitalized the company. The DS popularized touchscreen gaming for Nintendo, and the Wii’s motion controls quickly became a key feature. This technology helped games like Wii Sports and Super Mario Galaxy become huge successes on the Wii.
Amazon’s Desire to Beat Walmart Did Not Sit Well With Reggie Fils-Aimé
Even though the Wii and Nintendo DS were incredibly popular, a major retailer was blocked from selling Nintendo products after a discussion with the company’s previous leaders. Reggie Fils-Aimé, who was President of Nintendo of America from 2006 to 2019, shared this story during a lecture at the NYU Game Center, which was streamed on Twitch. Fils-Aimé explained that an Amazon executive once asked Nintendo for a significant amount of financial assistance. Amazon wanted to be able to offer lower prices than Walmart on Nintendo products and expand its presence in the gaming market. Fils-Aimé stated that Amazon’s primary goal at the time was to consistently offer the lowest prices, even beating Walmart’s.
Amazon tried to undercut Walmart in the gaming space, but Nintendo of America’s then-President, Reggie Fils-Aimé, strongly opposed their tactics. He refused to meet what he considered unlawful demands, which led Nintendo to temporarily remove the Wii and DS consoles from Amazon’s platform. Fils-Aimé explained that he wouldn’t risk damaging relationships with other retailers or allow Amazon to dictate terms. He believed standing firm was crucial for earning their respect and establishing a solid business relationship over time.
The Wii and DS Still Sold Well Without Amazon
Nintendo and Amazon eventually started talking again. According to former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé, Amazon was a strong supporter when the Switch was first launching, and Nintendo products are now easily available on Amazon. Even while Nintendo briefly stopped working directly with Amazon, console sales stayed healthy. While the Switch has become Nintendo’s best-selling console, the Wii sold over 101 million units, and the DS family of handhelds – including models like the DS Lite and DSi – sold a combined 154 million units.
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The Nintendo Switch has been a huge success, selling over 155 million units so far, but many fans still fondly remember the Wii and DS. Since Reggie Fils-Aimé retired, Nintendo released the Switch 2, which will soon be celebrating its first year on sale in June. With several exciting games planned for release throughout 2026 and beyond, it remains to be seen just how well the Switch 2 will perform.
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2026-05-04 22:05