You ever buy something expensive and then get charged extra just to figure out how to use it? That’s where we’re at with Nintendo right now. The Switch 2 is already coming in hot at $449.99. Mario Kart World is somehow $79.99. And now, just to top it off, Nintendo wants another $9.99 for a tutorial — a literal guide on how the console works — called Welcome Tour. I’m not even mad. I’m insulted.
This isn’t a quirky side add-on or DLC. It’s a setup walkthrough with mini-games. And they’re selling it like it’s some groundbreaking experience. I genuinely thought this was a parody headline when I first saw it. It’s not.
What Even Is Welcome Tour?
Launching day one with the Switch 2, Welcome Tour is a downloadable “game” — and I use that word very loosely — that gives you a tour of the new system. You control a mini avatar that runs around inside a giant version of the Switch 2, unlocking info cards, playing quick demos like Speed Golf and Maracas Physics (???), and learning how the new tech works.
Nintendo describes it as an “interactive museum” of sorts. Cool concept. But here’s the part that’s grinding everyone’s gears: it costs money. Ten dollars. Not bundled. Not free. Just pay more to figure out what you just paid $450 for.
PlayStation gave us Astro’s Playroom for free with the PS5, and it actually showed off the controller’s features in a fun, polished way. This? This is Nintendo charging you for the onboarding process.
Nintendo’s Reasoning (If You Can Call It That)
IGN interviewed Nintendo of America’s Bill Trinen about the decision, and he claimed that Welcome Tour has enough content to justify the $9.99 price tag. He says there’s more to it than meets the eye and that it’s “a robust piece of software.”
Sorry, but no amount of Maracas Physics is going to justify this. A tutorial is a basic expectation, not a bonus feature. I don’t care how “robust” it is — if it exists to teach people how to use the console, it belongs on the console for free. End of discussion.
It’s a Pattern, and It’s Getting Ugly
This wouldn’t sting so much if it weren’t part of a trend. First came the sticker shock of the Switch 2 price. Then the eye-watering $80 price tags on new games. Now this. What’s next? $5 for a firmware update?
Yes, tariffs and global pricing nonsense might be looming in the background, but nickel-and-diming your most loyal fans isn’t the way to respond. Especially when the competition is offering better value out of the box. This is a tutorial. Charging for it is petty, plain and simple.
Trevor Score: 1/10
Let me be blunt: this is ridiculous. There is no world in which charging $10 for a glorified how-to guide is okay. None. It’s a tone-deaf cash grab wrapped in Nintendo’s usual charm, and that charm isn’t enough to cover the bad smell coming off this move.
Yes, it might be cute. Yes, there’s probably effort behind it. But that doesn’t mean it should exist as a separate product. It should be free. It should absolutely be included with the console. Instead, Nintendo is treating basic user onboarding like a premium feature. That’s insulting.
Nintendo, I’ve backed you through Wii U weirdness, Labo cardboard, and Joy-Con drift. But this? This is where I draw the line. We buy your consoles because we believe in the magic. Stop trying to charge us for the instructions.
