Don, you are well-known once again!
If you are an Xbox enthusiast of a certain age, you likely recall one of the most infamous moments in the brand’s history that transpired back in 2013, when then-Xbox leader Don Mattrick advised those without access to a stable internet connection to purchase an Xbox 360 instead of the newly unveiled Xbox One.
This was perceived as an exceptionally out-of-touch moment that arguably cost Don Mattrick his position, and Xbox ultimately retracted the notion of a 24-hour internet requirement, integrating offline capabilities into the Xbox One in time for its launch.
Now, what Nintendo’s Doug Bowser has stated this week is not nearly as unfortunate as that, yet it is quite amusing how similarly the two statements resonate! For context, here is Don Mattrick’s notorious Xbox quote along with Doug Bowser’s Nintendo comment:
Don Mattrick (Xbox) in 2013: We have a product for people who do not seem to have access to some form of connectivity; it’s called Xbox 360.
Doug Bowser (Nintendo) in 2025: We recognize there are some individuals who might struggle to afford [the Switch 2’s] price tag. Therefore, we wanted to make the other Switch platforms available, so [people] still have a chance to enter our gaming universe, be part of these characters in these worlds, and discover value, if you will, at whatever level of the platform they engage with.
Once again, I do not believe this is anywhere near as bad as the Don Mattrick quote from back then, but it is a topic that has attracted numerous comments across social media, with many noting the Xbox parallels:
The point here, for me, is not what Doug stated—the Switch 2 is an expensive device, and although there has been justified controversy surrounding the price of its games, the hardware itself seems to have been set at an appropriate price point.
The real issue is that you should not keep channeling this quote while expecting to win over the critics! It’s a phrase that still resonates with us today—Xbox lost significant trust from fans during that botched launch back in 2013.
Anyway, let’s not take this too seriously. The Switch 2 is not facing anywhere near the difficulties that the Xbox One experienced at that time, and I