Update (Fri 10th Jan, 2020 14:45 GMT): The Nintendo Official UK Store has now opened pre-orders for a new batch of Switch consoles - yep, you can go ahead and 'pre-order' a console that's been out for nearly three years.
Both the Neon Red/Blue and Grey sets are available to order now, and you can order one alongside a number of games in special bundles, too. Orders placed now are scheduled to be despatched at the end of the month.
Original Article (Thu 2nd Jan, 2020 17:05 GMT): We imagine there were a fair few Nintendo Switch consoles sitting under the trees of lucky gaming fans all around the world over the holidays, but it's actually surprisingly hard to get your hands on one in the UK at the moment.
Taking a look at some of the biggest gaming retailers in the country reveals that stock of the original, standard Switch model is strangely hard to come by. The official Nintendo UK Store is entirely out of stock of every single bundle, the only options at GAME cost a whopping £495 or more (suggesting that stock is very limited), and even Amazon only has options through third-party sellers who are trying to shift their consoles at increased prices.
The Switch Lite - the newer, handheld-only version of the console - appears to be readily available at all retailers, however. So what's going on?
The folks over at Console-Deals, who first brought this oddity to our attention, believe it could be down to a mixture of several factors. They mention the release of the console's first new generation Pokémon release, which no doubt sparked sales, a potentially busier-than-expected holiday season, and finally the idea that perhaps Nintendo has struggled to produce the original model in great numbers owing to the release of the Switch Lite. All of these are possible, but it's impossible to know for sure.
Either way, we're sure that stock will return within the next few weeks or so; you can still find consoles at a handful of smaller, less-known stores and we're confident that Nintendo will be doing everything it can to get more to those listed above as soon as it can.
Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.
[source console-deals.com]
Comments 67
Well I think it's pretty obvious why. They must have been focusing entirely on Switch Lite production for the holidays and sidelined the standard system.
Switch pro incoming 😀
I've noticed the same thing in the part of the US that I live in. There's plenty of Switch Lite, but the standard Switch is either out of stock or very low. Even at $100 more than the lite, the Switch's ability to dock and to do multiplayer more easily was something I frequently heard from customers when considering which system to purchase.
@Sean161 agree Holidays and popular Switch standard won't stay around long. Price is the reason compared to those other packaged that cost more.
@JayJ not really it's because buyers want Switch not the Lite.
this must be because of brexit
They have all become sentient and ducking around corners. It's the only explanation.
@GrailUK i reckon they’ve packed it in and headed for the hills because graphics and framerates and pixels and stuff. Oh yeah, power too.
Nintendo is phasing the OG switch out. Just like how they handled the 3ds
Not just there but here as well. My daughter wanted one on New Years Eve and no Target's had any and the Best Buy they went to had none. She went to a gamestop and they did a search to see who had it in our area and it was only the grey joycon version. A lot of work just to find one system.
Kind of like how the 3DS XL became harder and harder to find once the 2DS XL came out. At this point, the 3DS XL is almost impossible to find new.
I would say that the 2DS XL replaced the 3DS XL and consumers didn't care. I hope the UnSwitchable Switch doesn't replace the Switchable Switch.
@Crono1973 Big difference here is that sales for the OG Switch continue to dwarf that of the Switch Lite. They likely expected it to eat into the OG Switch sales, so didn't produce enough. The New 3DS XL on the other hand gradually moved out of the supply chain over a much longer period.
@link3710 So if the UnSwitchable Switch were more successful, Nintendo would have given a big middle finger to those who prefer the Switchable Switch like they did to those who prefer the 3DS XL?
Standard Switch is begining to sell-out in the US as well. Switch Lite supply is still plentiful.
@jobvd why would they phase the best selling model out? Or were you joking?
I have a feeling Nintendo may have expected the lite to be outselling the OG switch so focused on producing more of those, but that clearly hasn’t happened...
@Sean161,
My local Currys P.C World had sold out to a high demand.
I still have the original Switch since day one with no drift issues and i'm still very satisfied with it
This Xmas was always going to see more Lites sell for kids. GAME UK was sold out of OG Switch a week before Xmas.
Hopefully it’s just a sign of an incredible Xmas sales period and I’m sure we will find out soon enough!
@Crono1973 ...well
A: there's a ton of New 3DS XL on the market if you really want one
B: no, they wouldn't have, at least not anytime soon. The N3DSXL was only discontinued once the Switch was out and the audience for the more powerful system had basically completely shifted over.
C: you completely misconstrued what I said, I was just pointing out the circumstances aren't even comparable.
@WiltonRoots,
They all sold out because nobody wanted that awful Pokemon game, and the only reason that game sold great numbers was because a mystery billionaire bought all the copies of the game and all the consoles, so nobody would be subjected to it.
Of course it's going to be difficult - stocks are low because it's just been Christmas all world over, and Switch is hot stuff right now. It will take Nintendo some time to manufacture their next batch.
Consumer spending is up this holiday season, a year after it was down a bit. Retailers played it a little safe, Manufacturers played it a little safe. Demand outstripped supply.
This doesn’t equate to Nintendo dropping the Switch, folks. It’s simple supply and demand rules used with sales forecasts.
It's the superior version and what people wanted for xmas. Not the Lite.
@SwitchForce Clearly a lot of people like the Switch Lite, it's just that it's a new product so they obviously had manufacturing focusing on that. I am sure they were trying to get rid of old stock on the standard consoles over the holidays so they can get new shipments out this year. Pretty standard for introducing a new product to a line.
It’s really good to see high demand for the switchable Switch, it will hopefully have sent a message to Nintendo that the unique dual nature of the system is a big selling point.
Now if they could just do a Switch Pro so I can retire my launch machine as the casing has cracked from battery expansion...
How can this be.. The UK hates Nintendo right?
At least these are visibly different products.
With the Wii U, Nintendo lost a lot of distribution from the white Basic Sets rotting on shelves, as anyone in the know (of which there were just too few, due to the abysmal awareness ) only wanted the Deluxe Sets.
Store managers didn't know the difference. They just saw a product that didn't move, and subsequently never placed any new orders for either SKU.
The Switch is popular enough, of course, that this wouldn't ever be an issue, but personally, I wish they'd stopp selling Switch Lite altogether. It's hurting the branding and the development community.
Has this affected the revised version of the original switch(the one with 2 hours extra battery life)?
Weird that right after the holiday season one of the most popular products are sold out.
Well, the only "weird" thing is, is that this is considered news.
Also this doesn't seem to be the case here in the Netherlands, all big retailers still have enough stock of both the Lite as the redbox Switch. I found only one retailer that didn't have the red/blue Joy-Con version. But it wouldn't be the first time that it would be out of stock.
@johnvboy I think there's still surplus Switches rotting on shelves in Florida and Sligo...or so I read on here a while ago.
Just think it shows the lite is not as popular as they thought it was going to be and as there is not huge difference in price , most will go for the superior original
@WiltonRoots,
I think I saw that too, and of course the Switch is doomed when the Next box and gray station 5 are released.
@johnvboy XBOX Series X and PS5 will indeed eat some of the Switch market. But the Switch is already an established console, it would be quite impossible for the Switch to fail or be doomed.
Also the PS5 and XBOX Series X are going to be expensive machines.
Yeah trying to get my standard Switch before Xmas was a pain in the a*se, supermarkets were only selling Lite, Argos had none in stock except Lite and both Game and Amazon had rubbish deals, i ended up going with Game in the end but can't say i got a great deal from them.
Theres always Ebay
@sanderev,
Totally different markets and demographics, the Switch is already in the market with the Ps4 Pro and Xbox One X, if there was only the core video gamers then you would be correct.
@BulkSlash It’s really good to see high demand for the switchable Switch, it will hopefully have sent a message to Nintendo that the unique dual nature of the system is a big selling point.
This is what alot of the Dock Naysayers forget and forgotten at the same time.
@johnvboy the Switch is doomed when the Next box and gray station 5 are released.
Based on drunken late nights out.
@sanderev Also the PS5 and XBOX Series X are going to be expensive machines.
Exactly the reason why the Switch will be a better value for Family/On-The-Go Gamer alike.
I would say that the inability to buy a dock (even directly from Nintendo) is worrying too. To me, it shows that they have little intention of supporting the Switchable Switch for much longer. They already have one foot out of the ring.
I really think we should refer to these as 'Switchable Switch' and 'UnSwitchable Switch'.
@WiltonRoots oh my gosh I remember that, brilliant 😂
Are they, by any chance, trying to push the sales of the older version by showing a shortage of the 2019 one?
Simple economics: Nintendo is restricting the stock of the normal Switch SKU in order to shift some of the Switch Lite stock currently in store and in online company warehouses.
Typical Nintendo not anticipating demand. This never happens with Sony and Microsoft: they know there are customers wanting to buy their products so they make sure they have enough or at least produce more quickly.
I do not need to buy a Switch but I was looking to see you could get the Mario Kart 8 bundles with the new improved battery live and noticed that they all model (apart from the lite) are sold out. Wow Nintendo had a good sales at Christmas, I'm hoping they say what their biggest selling game were though.
I just want the repair portal to re-open, as my secondary pair of joycons are now starting to drift, and want to send my originals in
They’re not easy to find in the US right now either. At least in the Philly suburbs area. I work at a Target store, and all we have are Lites.
@Sean161 Nobody suggested it was an issue. It's interesting though if you're into the business side of gaming
So one of 2 things probably happened, maybe both:
1. Nintendo underestimated Switch demand
2. A more powerful Switch model that can switch is being released in 2020 with the original Switch being phased out hence purposefully reduced stock
@JayJ,
Or it just sold well.
Sounds like the Switch Lite was not as popular as Nintendo and stores projected it would be compared to the original Switch.
@Sean161 I know right! So the Switch was the best selling console and it sold out over....THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD!! I'm shooken.
Prob be focusing on the production of the switch lite.
The should bever had release this piece of garbage
The switch is still selling like Hot cakes straight out the oven.
You guys don't have EBay or something?
I remember frantically calling stores to find a switch on the first day they were out. I sweet talked the girl on the phone into setting one aside for me.
Nintendoomed
It's over. Hang up your joycons folks. Nintendo shutting down tomorrow. All projects cancelled.
Good times for nintendo fans
If anything, this shows that Nintendo does NOT need to release a Switch Pro since the Switch V2 and Lite are selling very well to a point where inventory is extremely low for the Switch V2. Nintendo should just focus on the Switch 2 for 2022-23 with a proper cpu and gpu, and not a 7 year old mobile one currently in the Switch.
@DannyBoi yes, even that is out of stock too in the uk currently and I want to buy one soon due to animal crossing coming out.
@Pj1 yeah I'm hoping to find a animal crossing and mario kart 8 bundle soon but that is looking less likely right now with the shortages.
@Gravitron yes! turn to scalpers, that is going to make the situation miles more better, right?
@Sciqueen
Any product that’s in Demand is at risk of selling out during the Christmas period (as Sony and MS have found in the past). Nintendo has always wanted to avoid inventory sitting in the channels, keeps their product value up. It’s pretty sensible.
@Gravitron
Your advice is turn to overpriced items from resellers? Interesting....
@electrolite77 Denying customers your product and denying yourself profits is the opposite of sensible
@mother_brain_85 Bad times for Nintendo fans because we can't get hold of the bloody things!
If the Lite was able to Switch then I probably would have purchased one by now. Here's hoping a Pro model is on the way.
@Aldora Nintendo are a massive billion dollar company themselves, they have the resources, just not the management. They are renowned for being poor managers. Just look at the stock issues with amiibo, SNES and NES Minis, preorder bonuses etc
@Sciqueen
It’s really not. Too much inventory is a disaster for anyone. Supermarkets and the like have spent years trying to avoid excess inventory. It can depress the value of your product and damage retail relations, long term Brand value and profitability. On paper not being able to fulfil every order is bad but only if consumers can buy a direct, comparable alternative.
Alot of people fail to realize that too much isn't a good thing here. Inventory is a double edge sword here.
@electrolite77 you find Switchs way cheaper on Ebay than a brick and mortar store
I've had a Switch on order for 3 weeks now and it's still another 2 weeks until delivery is expected, quite something for a several year old console!
CEX are selling used units for £315. There really aren't any new ones in the UK right now and even eBay is pretty light on availability.
Tap here to load 67 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...