Nintendo Switch

Excitement is at an all-time high right now for the Nintendo Switch, as fans all over the world count down the days left until the console hits store shelves. Following on from the flat performance of the Wii U, the Switch's impending launch has understandably gotten retailers excited to once again be moving Nintendo hardware, and Eric Bright--GameStop's senior director of merchandising--recently weighed in with his thoughts on how the console will perform.

It's not all that surprising, but Bright was keen to stress the incredible demand that the console has been receiving at GameStop stores. Perhaps a bit more worryingly, he also briefly mentioned how stock will take a while to catch up to demand.

We've seen tremendous demand for Switch and of the initial allocation of pre-orders we took, the majority of them were done by PowerUp Reward customers. They're definitely looking for this device. We have a ways to go before we satisfy all the demand that's out there. The response has been amazing.

Moving on from there, Bright went on to explain how Nintendo has been smart to release the console earlier in the year as opposed to the cluttered last few months. This way, Nintendo is establishing its install base well before the busy holiday season, which will also help ease stock issues during that period.

The Q1 launch is one of the smartest moves Nintendo could have done. Instead of pushing units out during the heaviest time of the year (in Q4), this allows them to build a base. So by holiday, we can focus on games. There will be millions of people who will be hungry for content, creating a richer development cycle for game publishers who will have an install base to support titles. This also will take some of the brunt off of Christmas and enable Switch to be better stocked at stores.

What do you think? Will there be enough Switch stock at launch? Do you think Nintendo was right to release it in the spring? Drop us a comment in the section below.

[source alistdaily.com]