Reggie Fils-Aime: Amazon sought ‘obscene’ support

At an NYU Game Center lecture, Reggie Fils-Aime recalled that an Amazon executive asked Nintendo of America for an “obscene” level of financial support so the retailer could sell the Wii and DS at prices below competitors such as Walmart.

Fils-Aime said that during the Wii and DS era Nintendo of America was selling roughly ten million units a year in the Americas. He described Amazon’s goal at the time as becoming a major player in the video game market by offering the lowest prices.

The request reached Fils-Aime after moving through Nintendo’s sales organization. He refused the demand on legal grounds, saying, “You know that’s illegal? I can’t do that.” He described a pause on the call before the Amazon executive pressed again.

Rather than provide the requested support, Nintendo stopped supplying the Wii and DS to Amazon. Fils-Aime framed the decision as a matter of legal compliance and protecting relationships with other retailers.

He said the action established a boundary in the companies’ business relationship: “You’re not going to push me around. This is the way we do business.” He added that the stance helped build respect with retail partners over time.

Years later, as Nintendo prepared to launch the Switch, Amazon participated in the launch and “supported the launch exceptionally well,” according to Fils-Aime. He described that later cooperation as based on a mutually beneficial approach.

Fils-Aime retired from Nintendo of America in 2019. His successor was Doug Bowser, who served until 2025. The company’s current president is Devon Pritchard.