Former Nintendo of America President Recalls Illegal Price Undercutting Request from Amazon
Reggie Fils-Aimé, former President of Nintendo of America, recounted a phone call with an Amazon executive during the late 2000s or early 2010s. The executive requested "an obscene amount of financial support" to beat Walmart on price—a practice Fils-Aimé described as illegal.
The Alleged Request
According to Fils-Aimé, Amazon wanted substantial financial backing from Nintendo in order to undercut competitors' prices. He stated the arrangement would have been illegal and subsequently made the decision to stop selling Nintendo products directly to Amazon.
Nintendo's Response and Later Reconciliation
- Following the call, Nintendo ceased selling to Amazon for a period of time, per Fils-Aimé.
- The relationship later evolved. Fils-Aimé noted that Amazon participated in the launch of the original Nintendo Switch in 2017 under what he described as a "mutually beneficial approach."
2024 Dispute Rumors
In 2024, rumors circulated about a fresh dispute between Nintendo and Amazon over third-party resellers. These claims alleged that first-party Nintendo products were temporarily removed from the platform. Both Nintendo and Amazon denied the rumors, and products returned to the marketplace in June 2025.