The former Nintendo executive was surprised by the Switch 2 launch offer

Even former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime was surprised by Nintendo Switch 2’s somewhat sparse launch lineup.

“I wouldn’t be entirely honest if [I didn’t say] from a business standpoint, when I first saw that lineup, I scratched my head a little bit,” Fils-Aime, who was president and chief operating officer of Nintendo of America from 2006 until his retirement in 2019, said during an interview Gaming business. “But I certainly underestimated the increased performance and improved content of Nintendo Switch 1, which I thought was fascinating. The stuff you get for free with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, I think that helped build momentum. And Bananza was certainly a key factor for them.”

When the original Switch launched in 2017, it was accompanied by The Legend of Zelda: Breathe of the Wild, and later that year was joined by Super Mario Odyssey. The biggest Switch 2 release was Mario Kart World in June 2025, followed by Donkey Kong Bananza a month later. While many didn’t consider these games to be systemic sellers, both proved to be hits with players and critics alike.

Fils-Aime attributed the success of the Switch 2 launch to Nintendo’s global team and noted that “being able to successfully launch a new system after historic success with the previous system is quite a challenge.” He gave several examples of such a situation, including: Nintendo following the Wii with the less successful Wii U.

Earlier this year Fils-Aime apparently disagreed along with Nintendo’s decision to charge $10 for the Switch 2 welcome pack. In contrast, he compared it to its decision to release Wii Sports as a bundled title for the Wii console in North America. Fils-Aime predicted that in 2022, a large number of studio acquisitions by Sony and Microsoft will lead to to senior designers breaking away and launching your own innovative games. Several high-profile directors and designers have left larger companies, but Fils-Aime notes a lack of innovation in his new interview.

“I hope this industry doesn’t stagnate,” Fils-Aime said. “Sometimes there are signs of a lack of innovation. It seems like a new, disruptive type of content is a little closer. It worries me and I hope it doesn’t end.”