Nintendo Switch 2’s Launch Title is a Paid Surprise, Not Free as Expected!

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Summary

  • Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is a paid digital game, not a free pack-in title like many expected.
  • The game serves as a tech demo to showcase Switch 2 features with tutorials and mini-games.
  • No pricing information for Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour has been announced yet.

The debut game for the Nintendo Switch 2, titled Nintendo Switch 2 Grand Introduction, is exclusively digital and not included with the console. During the recent Nintendo Direct broadcast, this was among the initial games demonstrated for the upcoming Switch 2. Serving as a demonstration of various Switch 2 capabilities, some may have thought it would be a free inclusion with the new system.

Video game consoles, such as the original Wii with its game “Wii Sports” and more recently, the PS5’s “Astro’s Playroom,” have often come with pre-installed games known as pack-in titles. However, unlike these examples, the original Nintendo Switch didn’t have a specific pack-in title of its own. Some believed that the mini-game collection “1-2-Switch” could have served this purpose. Yet, it seems surprising that “Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour,” which appears to be an ideal candidate for a pack-in title, will instead be sold separately.

As a gamer, I’m curious about why Nintendo’s Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is going to be a paid game instead of coming free with the new console. It seems they’re counting on early adopters like me to pick up this game when we get our hands on the Switch 2. The cost for this game isn’t known yet, but if it’s not too steep and offers great quality, I think positive word of mouth could convince a lot of us to give it a try.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is a Paid Digital Game

The Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour essentially functions as a compilation of tech demonstrations and tutorials aimed at educating gamers about the distinctive characteristics of the Switch 2 gaming console. Within this virtual environment, players traverse a colossal representation of the Switch 2, interacting with question marks to gain insights into the system’s design. In addition to these educational experiences, mini-games will be incorporated, such as a golf game that leverages the Joy-Cons’ mouse functionality. Given the footage presented, it appears that the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour could serve admirably as a free bonus title, making its premium release price somewhat perplexing.

Choosing to introduce the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour as a paid game isn’t the only contentious move Nintendo is making regarding Switch 2 games. Additionally, it has been revealed that certain Switch 2 games will retail for $80 instead of the typical $70 industry price. The first Switch 2 game to adopt this higher cost will be Mario Kart World, another launch title for the Switch 2, alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.

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2025-04-02 20:04