Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour Has Already Made A Horrible Mistake For The New Console

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been long anticipated, and with a release date close the horizon, there are games being announced that will arrive on the Switch 2 on launch day or shortly after. One of these games is Welcome Tour, a game that will be teaching you all about your new console, its features, and what it does. It is very similar to Astro’s Playroom, which was released with the PlayStation 5 to do similar things. However, there is one glaring difference, and I’m convinced it’s a big mistake.

There were a lot of reveals at the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, where we finally got some answers and more details about the new console. We also got a release date and price, as well as an option to sign-up to opt in to purchase a console. However, among the more exciting reveals and surprising games, like The Duskbloods, we also got an odd trailer for the Welcome Tour game and a reveal that was surprising and not in a good way.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour Is A Paid Game

The Biggest Reveal Was That It Had A Price Point

Of all the reveals we were expecting, it was not that the Welcome Tour for the Nintendo Switch 2 would be a paid game. It looked very much like a game that was meant to introduce the console – and it is, but they are expecting us to pay for it. This was quite a surprise, and I don’t think anyone saw a price tag coming when they were watching the announcement.

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While an exact price hasn’t been confirmed just yet, knowing any price for this kind of game exists is shocking. It’s already become a controversial subject, and I don’t foresee many people will be willing to purchase it. From the small bit of it we have seen so far, the game looks just okay at best, although we could be surprised when we get more information or a gameplay demo.

This Kind Of Game Should Be Included With The Console

A Tutorial With A Little Bit More

The Nintendo Direct Welcome Tour footage

This is, at best, a tutorial game that advertises to someone who has already paid for the console the thing they paid for. The small bit of gameplay we saw in the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct was being able to walk around on the Switch 2 within the game and finding out what the buttons did and what the inner workings of the Switch 2 looked like. It’s neat, but it’s not a full gameplay experience and it should just come with the console pre-installed.

The introduction does say that there will be mini-games, and without seeing anything else so far it is hard to tell what will come of it. The mini-games could be a lot of fun, but we don’t have any evidence for that to go off of at the moment. We will be stuck waiting, all the while knowing that we would have to pay to experience a tutorial. Demos should not be paid, and at the moment, that is what this game looks like.

Astro’s Playroom Is A Prime Example Of How Consoles Should Handle This

The Same Thing But Better Already Happened

Astro’s Playroom for the PS5 did something like this and did it very well. It was ready to go on every console that shipped, and while there was a high demand for the consoles, those that received them and had the chance to play Astro’s Playroom all very much enjoyed it. The Switch 2 is now sitting fairly comfortably between the original PS5 Digital Edition and the PS5 Console prices, which both shipped with Astro’s Playroom, and the higher price for the new console should automatically include the game to show it off.

Astro Bot giving a thumbs up to the camera

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Astro’s Playroom was also a great game. The developers put a lot of work into it, gave us a lot of fun references to other games, and it introduced players to the features in the new controller and the console without necessarily feeling like it was just there for marketing. It did have some of those elements to it, but it was free and well-made, which made it work. The Welcome Tour, however, does not have the same charm that Astro’s Playroom did from this trailer, and it doesn’t look like it has full-fledged gameplay like Astro’s Playroom did either.

I also feel that the amount of effort that went into Astro’s Playroom would have justified it costing a few dollars, but that isn’t what the game was made for. It was made to draw people in and help them get used to their new console. Knowing that, it was the right decision to just give them the game. And it worked out, as the sequel, Astro Bot, was a full-priced game that was in contention for various GOTY awards.

Even The Wii Had Wii Sports Included With It

A Different Time For Nintendo

The original Wii console came with Wii Sports included, which is a much bigger game than what the Welcome Tour seems to be. At least there were five different sports to choose from, and it kept a lot of people, myself included, occupied with just that game for a long time. It was also a great party game, and it didn’t include any of the more “informational” bits that come with the Welcome Tour.

It made sense for Wii Sports to come with the Wii in particular because nothing like the Wii controllers had been seen at the time. It was new and fun, and having those games that really allowed the new mechanics and controllers to shine was a great idea. However, now we will have to pay a price, even if it’s a few dollars, to get something that won’t come close to that same experience on the Nintendo Switch 2. It makes the console feel a little less exciting, and it feels more like a cash grab than a genuine effort, particularly with Mario Kart World’s price point.

We will see on June 5 if the experience ends up living up to the reputation or if the price point will end up driving away everyone who might have played it. I know some people will buy it no matter what, but I think the biggest mistake here is that the vast majority are not going to bother with it, unless there’s something big that they’ve hidden from us that would make this game much better. We will find out when the Nintendo Switch 2 launches in just a couple of months.