“That was not received well at Nintendo” - as GTA 6 and Zelda are lampooned by Saturday Night Live, former employees recall Elon Musk Wario skit controversy
Former Nintendo employees Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang have revealed that a 2021 Saturday Night Live sketch featuring billionaire Elon Musk dressed as Wario “was not received well” by the gaming company. The controversial sketch depicted Wario on trial for being evil, and included edgy content such as references to Mario taking drugs and blurred images of Luigi, as Musk’s character attempted to convince the courtroom of his innocence.
The revelation came as SNL recently aired a new sketch lampooning the November releases of Grand Theft Auto 6 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2. While discussing Nintendo’s likely reaction to this newer sketch, Ellis and Yang recalled the company’s negative response to the 2021 Musk-Wario skit, which both employees described as “uncomfortable” during their tenure at Nintendo. The contrast highlights different reactions to SNL’s treatment of video game franchises and characters over time.