Reginald "Reggie" Fils-Aimé, the former president and chief operating officer of Nintendo of America, reveals that he bought himself a Switch 2 much like any other fan – he wasn't given one for free by the company.
Speaking in a recent interview with The Game Business, Fils-Aimé explains that he took part in the Switch 2 launch – a historical console release if there ever has been one, becoming the "fastest selling video game hardware device in US history" in just a month – the same way that most Nintendo stans did. He purchased the new console and has been enjoying some of its games since its June 5 launch.
"I've been observing the launch like a fan," he admits. "Though, at times, I look at things critically and wonder how they're thinking about different opportunities." By "like a fan," he means he got the Mario Kart World bundle for himself: "The company did not send me one for free." Although he hasn't picked up other Switch 2 games like Donkey Kong Bananza just yet, he has been playing through the upgraded version of Tears of the Kingdom.
As for any upcoming Switch 2 games that he's excited for, he's looking forward to Metroid Prime 4 – a sentiment I think we can all share in at this point. "I've enjoyed it," insists Fils-Aimé, circling back to his thoughts on the Switch 2, "like the vast majority of folks, it seems, based on their [sales] announcement." He's not exactly wrong here, either. The Switch 2 has managed to surpass 10 million sales in just four months.
The new Nintendo console hit this milestone a whopping five months faster than the original Switch did, which is no small feat. The OG system was just one of many launches Fils-Aimé was at Nintendo for, too – he took on the role as president and chief operating officer back in 2006 after joining the company in 2003, retiring from his position in 2019. He participated in many a banger hardware release, from the Nintendo DS to the Wii.
