In an interview with Wired, Nintendo of America’s president Reggie Fils-Aime has assured customers that they will be able to meet demand for the new gaming console.
According to him “our focus is making sure that the consumer who wants to buy a Nintendo Switch can buy a Nintendo Switch. That’s how we build our supply chain, that’s how we think through the amount of product that’s available”.
The company has already publicly pledged to ship two million units by the end of March. However, Nintendo have a spotty track record when it comes to launching gaming consoles.
Last year’s NES Classic Mini unit sold out in seconds and their biggest hit, the Nintendo Wii was deliberately under-supplied out for almost a year after launch in order to built hype around the product.
US retailer Gamestop has already sold out of its entire initial shipment of the console, with reports suggesting that allotments for most stores will fall between twenty and forty units.
It’s unknown how this compares to the stock supplied Gamestop’s local branch EB Games, who sold out of the collectors edition of the Switch’s most-anticipated launch title The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in less than 48 hours.
With regards to the NES Classic, Reggie told Wired that “what happened with NES Classic is that was a situation where the global demand was well in excess of anything we had anticipated, and that’s what created shortages.”
“With the ongoing level of supply, the ongoing demand is going to be met. We know the concern,” he says.
