Reggie Fils-Aimé has never been one to bow under pressure. During a recent event at the NYU Game Center, the former Nintendo of America president recounted a time when the company severed ties with Amazon, pulling Wii and DS consoles from the platform. The move was a direct response to the retailer’s aggressive pricing demands and its attempts to force Nintendo into a price war with Walmart. Fortunately, by the time the Switch launched in 2017, the two corporate giants had resolved their differences and restored their partnership.
Reflecting on this during an April 30 conversation with NYU’s Joost van Dreunen, Fils-Aimé explained that in the latter days of the Wii and DS era, these platforms were shifting a combined 10 million units annually in North America. While Amazon was eager to secure a larger slice of that lucrative market, it lacked the undisputed retail dominance it commands today, leading to fierce competition with other major brick-and-mortar outlets.
“Amazon’s mentality at the time was focused entirely on achieving the lowest market price, even if it meant undercutting Walmart,” Fils-Aimé recalled. “They effectively demanded significant financial backing from us just so they could win that price war. I told their executive point-blank: ‘You realize that’s illegal. I cannot do that.’ There was silence on the other end, followed by: ‘Well, that’s what I want.’”
Ultimately, Amazon’s heavy-handed tactics failed to yield the desired result. “We stopped shipping to them entirely,” Fils-Aimé noted. “I wasn’t willing to engage in illegal practices or compromise our standing with other retail partners. More importantly, it established a boundary. It sent a clear message that I wouldn’t be bullied—that this is how we operate. Over time, that stance is how you earn genuine respect.”
For those interested in the full discussion, you can watch the exchange beginning around the 40-minute mark in the NYU Game Center stream below:
While his recounting omits the struggle of the Wii U era—the successor to the Wii that launched in 2012 and ultimately underperformed with 13.5 million lifetime sales—Fils-Aimé confirmed that by 2017, Nintendo and Amazon had successfully reconciled. “Fast forward to the launch of the Switch; we wanted total participation from every retailer. Amazon came to the table ready to play and supported the launch tremendously. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement that ultimately generated strong business results for both sides.”
Despite early skepticism regarding the concept of a hybrid console, the Nintendo Switch has proved to be a historic success, amassing over 155 million units sold as of December 2025—cementing its place as Nintendo’s highest-selling console ever. Its successor, the Switch 2, launched in June 2025 and quickly became the fastest-selling console in history, moving more than 10 million units in its first four months.
Source: Polygon
