Reggie Fils-Aimé says Amazon once asked Nintendo to break the law
During a recent talk at NYU, Reggie Fils-Aimé, former President of Nintendo of America, shared an eye-opening story about negotiations with Amazon during the Nintendo DS era. Fils-Aimé revealed that Nintendo decided to stop selling its products on Amazon for a period because the e-commerce giant requested special treatment and significant financial support to help Amazon undercut competitors like Walmart.
According to Fils-Aimé, the financial support Amazon wanted was not just unreasonable, but could potentially have crossed legal boundaries, risking Nintendo's relationships with other major retailers. "You know that’s illegal, right? I can’t do that," Fils-Aimé allegedly told the Amazon executive, standing firm on business ethics.
He explained that Nintendo's move to halt its sales with Amazon sent a clear message: the company would not compromise on its principles or participate in behavior that could jeopardize fair competition. Over time, the two companies resolved their differences, and Nintendo products returned to Amazon's platform.
This episode underscores the kind of pressure tech and retail giants can face in competitive markets, as well as the importance of holding firm on ethical business practices.
For more details and the original article, visit The Verge.
