Nintendo broke with convention by releasing its latest console in the middle of spring rather than in the fall, but the Switch will still almost certainly be one of the hottest gifts this holiday season. Unfortunately, Nintendo isn’t making any guarantees that you’ll be able to get your hands on one.
Speaking at Variety’s Entertainment and Technology Summit in Los Angeles on Thursday, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime warned consumers that while Nintendo is primed to reach 10 million Switch units sold in 2017, the company might run into supply issues over the holiday season.
“Certainly the demand is there, and our supply chain is there” to hit the goal of 10 million sales, says Fils-Aime, but it remains to be seen whether or not it will be possible to meet that demand. “Are we going to have enough for the holiday?” Fils-Aime continued. “That’s what we are focused on.”
I wish I could say I’m surprised by this development, but Nintendo has become the master of supply issues, especially over the past year. Last November, the company introduced the NES Classic Edition, which sold out everywhere almost instantaneously. Nintendo scrambled to replenish stock for the next few months, but with the release of the Switch fast approaching, eventually had to redirect its attention.
The Switch launched on March 3rd, and while supply issues haven’t been quite as drastic, we’re still more than three months away from Christmas. Once the holiday shopping season begins in earnest, the Switch is once again going to be nearly impossible to find if Nintendo can’t crank out enough consoles.
