If you're trying to find a brand new original model Switch at the moment, you're probably not having much luck. Just last week, Nintendo was forced to issue an apology for ongoing shortages and promised more systems were on the way.
Nikkei has now been informed by parts suppliers that the Kyoto-based video game developer will produce "about 10% more" Switch units this year – compared to the 20 million in 2019.
A Nintendo spokesperson confirmed the requested production increase, but didn't attach an exact figure:
We hope [suppliers] will be responsive to the production increase, but for procurement of some parts, the outlook remains uncertain, and we can't forecast exactly how many Switches can be supplied
A representative of a components supplier said parts suppliers would do what they could to comply with the production increase request during these difficult times, but the new social measures in place could potentially cause some frustrations.
Some suppliers have also supposedly received part orders for April-June, which are said to be 50% larger than originally planned, and one industry insider said there are "signs procurement is being moved forward" to deal with the potential disruptions in supply chains.
Earlier this month, Niko Partners Senior Analyst Daniel Ahmad told Business Insider Nintendo's supply situation could improve by the end of May, or at some point in June.
Have you had any luck finding an original model Nintendo Switch in recent times? Leave a comment below.
[source asia.nikkei.com, via businessinsider.com.au]
Comments 17
Yeah, yeah, Nintendo. I realize the challenges of securing all the components throughout the global supply chain, assembling them and delivering a finished product is quite a feat these days, but this might’ve been avoided if they didn’t originally play a supply and demand game.
I checked Walmart one day, they had about two Switch Lites. I checked Target in Springfield, Missouri, US Saturday afternoon while out just to get not be in the house all day, and they were freshly out of both the original and Lite versions, like nothing was there. Not even any PS4's or possibly Xbox's. They were even out of everything Nintendo 3DS.
Hopefully this means the scumbags who are buying up stock right now to price gouge will be stuck with taking losses. People who pull that crap are soulless pieces of dirt, especially in times like these.
I frankly don't blame Nintendo for this at all. 3 months ago no one predicting anything like the current global situation was treated with any more respect than the "Flat Earth" crowd.
@Ketsumeishi In other words, this might have been avoided if Nintendo was more reckless? Over producing stock has burned more than one company in the past. Every single company on earth worth their salt plays that supply and demand game. It's called economics. And making more units costs more money, which means that money is tied up until they sell - instead of being used to develop new software and possible hardware...
If this rumor is true, then we are looking a targeted annual hardware shipment of 22 million units during the current fiscal year.
Switch shipments by fiscal year:
> FY2016: 2.74 million (March 2017)
> FY2017: 15.05 million
> FY2018: 16.95 million
> FY2019: 20.00 million
> FY2020: 22.00 million (Rumored goal)
Total: 76.74 million
If this happens, the Switch will outsell the 3DS by March 2021.
@Ketsumeishi What does that even mean? How in the world does one not play that "game"? If we even take a screw to fasten the cover of the switch, and try to analyze how it actually came to be, we are instantly overwhelmed by all the details, and Nintendo has absolutely no idea how such screws are made, neither does anyone else actually. Sure, some know it's shape, some know it's chemical properties, some know how to find the components to make the actual screw, etc. It's virtually infinite complexity, and we haven't even begun to analyse the creation of the things we need to be able to produce the screw, and the things needed to produce the things we need to produce the screw, and so on, ad infinitum. No matter how far one takes it, one can never escape the "game", which isn't actually a game, but reality. Sure one can try, and the only thing one does then is limit the process to such low complexity that producing Switches at all would be unthinkable.
Please, please, please, please, please restock the Animal Crossing console!!!!!
@westman98 Thank you so much for these statistics. I am always looking for the numbers to see how sales are going compared to previous quarters and previous years.
They should raise prices until they can provide enough units.
That way scalpers can't make much profit, nintendo can reinvest in production and buyers can find units if they really desire them.
@Heavyarms55 i remember a month or so ago being called racist by you for stating japan needed to shut down the olympics.
I know it's a pipe dream that will never happen because people are, on the whole, very stupid, but it would be rather effective if everybody just didn't pay scalpers. If someone buys 100 Switches, they should just have to sit on them at what they paid and at best sell them at-cost. But because people will pay exorbitantly gouged prices, scalpers will keep doing what they do.
Make Sure to Include ACNH versions as well to STOP Scalpers...
Nintendo Twitted out a message here in Korea that the Animal Crossing Switch is not a limited edition and meant to be a regular stock item for a while. They have restocks coming in April and May. We'll see if they actually get them on to the shelves.
@StevenG Sounds like a great idea. Would love to see the look on scalpers faces.
@wazlon You and me both. Done right and announced ahead of time so buyers know what is up I think it would work really well.
People need to stop scrambling for Switches and RFA. Let the scalpers sit on their stock and wait for the regular supply to come back. We're literally in the middle of a pandemic, we can wait a little longer for our video games. I wish I would be so desperate as to spend hundreds more for a current console and current game because I was too impatient to wait for more stock.
Managed to purchase from game.co.uk but had to buy a bundle with 2 games and was £399 so no savings and around £20 more than competitors. Still was the only place that didn't sell out in minutes
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