Nintendo 3DS

The coronavirus outbreak has created a lot of chaos since it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. On the gaming front, it's made certain systems like the original model Nintendo Switch near impossible to buy.

In Japan last week, we heard how one local retailer ran an online lottery to simply purchase Nintendo's hybrid system and it overloaded the company's server. With the Switch out of stock everywhere at the moment due to ongoing demand and supply chain issues, the 3DS is now seeing a resurgence in sales, but it's come at a price – quite literally.

According to price tracker Kakaku, local retailers have gone from selling the New 2DS XL for as low as 10,000 yen (about $93 USD) in January to 13,775 yen (roughly $129 USD) this month. While it's nowhere near as bad as what scalpers are asking for certain systems, it's still enough to illustrate the increased demand. This follows on from Japanese retailers reducing the price of the dedicated handheld in 2019, due to a drop in sales.

3DS Price Increase

One game that's getting a real workout during this period is Ring Fit Adventure. Chinese buyers were reportedly to blame for the global shortages, and since then it's been increasingly hard to find a copy. On websites like eBay, copies of the game have been going for almost three times the recommended retail price.

Just yesterday, Nintendo promised more Switch consoles were on the way and apologised for any inconvenience.

Have you considered purchasing a 3DS model during this period of home isolation? Leave a comment below.

[source switchsoku.com, via gonintendo.com]