Ex-Blizzard Boss Rips Nintendo Switch 2

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Summary

  • Former Blizzard exec Mike Ybarra slammed the Nintendo Switch 2, calling it a “hard pass.”
  • Fans have criticized the pricing of the Switch 2 and some of its games, as well as Nintendo’s lack of transparency.

Mike Ybarra, who used to work at Blizzard and Xbox, simply said “no thanks” when it comes to the rumored Nintendo Switch 2. While some fans were thrilled by the surprises revealed in Nintendo’s April 2 Direct, others, including some former industry executives, have expressed negative reactions to these revelations since the presentation.

As a gaming enthusiast, I was taken aback when I learned about the pricing details for the new Nintendo console after the Direct event. Initially, there was no mention of costs during the presentation itself, but later press releases and official listings revealed a rather hefty price tag of $450 in the United States. To add to the surprise, some games are priced at $80 or even more, based on different editions. This revelation didn’t sit well with many fans, and to make matters worse, there was a lack of transparency about these costs from Nintendo. Former PR managers from Nintendo even went as far as calling them “disrespectful” for what seemed like intentionally omitting this crucial information during the Direct event.

Mike Ybarra, a former executive at Blizzard and Microsoft, voiced his disapproval about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 on Twitter. He mentioned that he won’t be buying it due to the high price of games like “Mario Kart World” ($80) and the console costing more despite lower frame rates. Many other gamers have also criticized Nintendo for these reasons, particularly the expensive prices of the Switch 2 games and having to pay for upgrades on titles they already own.

Ex-Blizzard President Mike Ybarra Criticizes Switch 2’s Pricing and Performance

Ybarra criticized the aggressive marketing of the Switch 2’s in-game chat function, noting that Nintendo was late to adopt this feature compared to other companies. He also commented that “Tears of the Kingdom” appeared to be a game from the year 2000 due to its performance on the Switch 2 at 4K and 60fps. Similar sentiments have been expressed by other former gaming executives, with Shuhei Yoshida describing the Switch 2 Direct as “underwhelming” due to a lack of new game announcements. Despite this, Yoshida appreciated the console’s social features and even showed surprise at its price, but commended it for its functionality.

Regarding the Switch 2, one of its more debatable aspects seems to be its pricing, encompassing both the console and its first-party games. For instance, the price tag of $80 for Mario Kart might come as a surprise, but it’s worth noting that some older versions of Mario Kart were priced at $80 or more when adjusted for inflation. However, this point might not hold much water given that other studios typically keep their games between $60 and $70. The long-term impact of these prices and other contentious features on the Switch 2’s sales is still uncertain, but it appears that the increasing criticism directed towards it may not have been the response Nintendo anticipated.

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2025-04-04 21:21