Tatsumi Kimishima Apologises for NES Mini Shortages, Cites Delays Procuring Parts

1.5 million? Yowzers. You wouldn't think that they would have sold that many considering that the likelihood of a unicorn sighting is more likely than finding a Mini NES in-stores.

And the perspective on why such shortages may occur is appreciated. I think we take for granted the effort required in procuring the individual parts of our electronics. I just want an additional official Mini NES controller so I can call it a day.

Fool me once Nintendo.

I will never believe Nintendo hardware shortages are simply an accident or a misread of the market.

Of course getting the necessary parts is tricky. Time travel is serious business.

I'm still waiting...

Why wait for a mini when u can get every game ever made for new by using a emulator on your phone. Just saying

An easier way out would be to make compilation cartridges for the Nintendo Switch, with all the same functions as the NES Classic Edition, but Nintendo would NEVER do that, unless they went third-party, and even THAT isn't happening anytime, soon.

@JHDK I'm sure they wouldn't do this on purpose. I mean, come on, this is just embarrassing.

I am still waiting to find a controller at a reasonable cost (I will not pat scalpers) so demand must still be high. I doubt that people will stop caring about it simply because Christmas is over.

@NintySnesMan
Playing NES games in legal way will feel different than playing NES games with illegal emulator and ROMs. Just like the difference feeling of eating your food that one is bought by your money and one is from stealing.

I know it's a cultural thing, so go ahead and apologize with your head bowed. But that won't change the fact that you lost out on the best sales period this device was ever going to have. It's too late now for most people...

Ill be crucified for this but part shortagea are a legitimate thing. You cant just magically increase stock. A seller of a part can spread their entire allotment out and even if we want Nintendo to make more, they cant because one part manufacturer sold their stock.

Or the components are getting harder to produce, material shortages, there is a lot more to producing hardware than "Make more".

They probably should have expected 10 million and at least made 8, they always underproduce. Japan alone probably could have done 2 million. And even though they lump these together they look nothing alike, controllers are very different, so he probably should be discussing the numbers separately, not lumped together.

Go look at the Apple numbers if you think 8 million is too high. Apple sold 78 million iPhone over the holidays and those are about $600, so the $60 NES Mini is only 1/10 of that price. That's about the tax where I live. Plus I think they did another 13 million iPads. It was a lot.

Nintendo could have literally piled these up in store doorways and each store could have sold 50 over BF weekend, instead each store got 2 or 3 or 12. Even if 50 didn't sell BF weekend there was still 4 more weeks of holiday shopping after that, and another 2 months before Switch. They cost themselves a lot of money due to nothing but their own incompetence.

From yesterday.

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/video/why-nintendo-shares-slipped-five-035849190.html

I myself don't have a nes emulator but many others have.. I just got to say mate that was a deep speech and very passionate

@YoshiAngemon You should read up on some history. The US has been integrally involved in the Middle Eastern wars and conflicts ever since President Franklin Roosevelt signed the first big US-Arab oil deal, personally meeting and shaking hands with the Saudi Arabian monarchy right before his death in 1945 (all following Presidents who lived through their terms would shake hands with the biggest modern monarchy, as well). Later, the US would also sell a B-17 bomber or three in 1948 to help clear out Palestinians for the installation of modern Israel, and train/arm the Mujahedeen and other "rebel groups" for the past 40+ years to fight proxy wars with Russia. (As well as promote easily corruptible religious governments, such as in Pakistan, and destroy emerging secular democratically elected governments, such as in Iran in 1953 [not '60s, I screwed up the date!], so their nations could one day be toppled for the land's resources.) Of course, they all eventually blew up out of US control and became monsters... The brutalized are bound to become brutal.

I don't see what any of that has to do with piracy, though...

Switch is gonna come out before more....

I picked up a retrousb avs, and my n8 everdrive was delivered yesterday so I don't really need one. I do want to pick one up for my niece though.

I would have bought it around christmas. But now with the hype for Switch I don't need it anymore.

I finally picked up 2 NES Classic Mini's yesterday. I pre ordered back in July but had my order cancelled and then a later one from Nintendo's own UK online store. Only 2 months late but better late than never I guess. Oh and I had to pay significantly more than my original order. The guy was literally unpacking them as I went up to the counter to ask when they might be getting them back in stock. Talk about fortunate timing.

in this particular asian region, mini famicoms are in every gaming shop in multiples. this might be another example of artifically inflating demand, even if they clearly don't need to. could be wrong.

@BensonUii reminds you of the switch, dunnit? tiny battery, not enough launch games, no backwards compatibility confirmed... yeah i'll pre-order. it's in the nintendo bag of modus operandi, heh.

I just want an SNES Mini to be a thing.

@BLP_Software Well, the question then is, what exactly are these oh-so-rare parts? Considering the actual NES Mini circuitry doesn't use wildly different circuitry to produce than a Raspberry Pi or CHIP or other DIY board, and it's already been hacked to prove it, what exactly are these special Nintendium parts which are apparently so difficult to procure? For all we know, it could just be those NES resembling case, port, and controller molds that are holding up stock much more so than the circuitry itself. That would be pretty embarrassing for them to admit, though..

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Oh, so the retail MSRP has definitely increased? Or was it store markup?

@PlywoodStick A bit of mark up and I had it preordered with Zavvi back in July for €50. Smyths charge more than other places but they're the only place in Ireland stocking it at the moment in very limited supply I might add, so I just paid it to be done with all the hassle of daily searches and at last own it. I'm opening one and keeping the other sealed. I find myself doing that quite a bit recently. The amount of double Wii U games I own is substantial. I like to have sealed Collector's Editions and think they could be quite valuable in a few years given Wii U's low install base.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Yup I pre ordered a controller from there still waiting for it.

At least Nintendo haven't said that the mini has been discontinued because that would be awful.

@PlywoodStick The cables for the controllers, gold, silicon paste, board components. The parts are probably proprietary to some degree. I dont know though.

I was just offering a logical example of how supply chains are more complex than those like l admit and not that it was a definitive cause, just based on whhat known information there is and the known issues with supplying materials.

But thanks for the crucifixion though. Makes me feel better.

@JHDK I know right? It's obviously a conspiracy by the Illuminati designed to p1ss you off. They can't fool us that easily.

@BLP_Software I wouldn't equate fair questioning to crucifixion... No harm meant.

@PlywoodStick Its chill. Bit of a rough day is all.

I do know some parts are made in bulk and shipped to various people who will se them at a time. So its not just for Nintendo but also other companies per shipment.

@NintySnesMan

WELL. First of all, playing from your phone some NES emulated games is.... well it's kind sad. And awful. Yes I've had my share of ROMs.
I tried to play FF that was ported to phone and it was just.. plain awful.
Also all the nice freebies you can get with those downloads <3

And again downloading ROMs are stealing (yes, I've been bad but stopped messing with those a long time ago).

As for stock.. they are so late. They really messed up the hype with once again lacking supply. Here it was already said in November that stores get restock MAYBE MAY.

Geez.

I did cancel my order for extra controller. Maybe some day.

I just hope they fix this mess by March/April, they truly blew it with the production estimates.

Global supply isn't just saying "Hey, let's make more". You've got to go to the different suppliers for parts, negotiate with them and see if they have the parts needed (and with this shortage you can bet they're charging an extra) and if they don't, put an order in....
Negotiate with the fabric to product more on short term is also an extra cost.

I'm not saying they are free of blame, but if their initial estimate was blown out of the water, ramping up production on short term can be very expensive and not within the cost of production they had calculated initially.

ugh.....another article about Nintendo's failure to stock their product. I feel like I'm living the same day over again like Groundhog Day. Same story. More missed opportunities by Nintendo. Same lame Nintendo excuses.

I don't pirate games but can't blame others who do. Also, if they really wanted to sell the Switch and get back in the race, all they would have to do is open the NES/SNES/N64 library to all Switch systems. Now I understand that they don't own the rights to every game, but they do control enough to make this a system seller.

@Luna_110 FINALLY someone who understands the realities of manufacturing arrives to make sense!

Still, Nintendo does deserve SOME blame for still not understanding their markets with that level of severity. How do you do business in only one industry for 30 years and still not know your market? Falling short is one thing. Missing by that much is another.

@BLP_Software True, it can take a while for each step along the manufacturing process to be undertaken. It sounds like you've had experience yourself with big projects that require multiple parties for each process. Hope your day improves!

@PlywoodStick retail with phones (those are fun to sort), game development and even being paid to build PCs. All have the same process on paper sadly.

And several business and economics qualifications. But generally its just experience and paying attention.

@FINNTENDO
Yep most emu are very bad but some are great. It's been a long time since I bothered with them.they served a purpose at the time. Problem is the homebred hacking scene will always be there doing there thing. A good example of that is the Psvita hacking scene. N64 and GBA games on psvita no wonder it still sells even though Sony abandoned it a few years back. There are many ppl taking advantage of this

I'm purely after a Classic NES for the novelty as I can easily get all of these games, emulators, etc. if I need to-- that's not the point. I want this official, unique, original, money-grab from Nintendo for my own in the name of being a Nintendo gamer... that's all. My patience will be rewarded, I don't care how long it takes.

I still want one but I can't find it.

A mistake that could be easily avoided by doing a bit more research and having preorders.

None of my friends could get a hold on the NES mini, but it seems I'm the only one who wants it badly, specially as my Amazon order fell thru.

I lucked out and found one last night at the Walmart by my work, just after I got off of work, asked the guy in the electronics dept if he knew when they were getting more stock in and he said that one had just come in and went in the back to get it for me. Took a few months but I'm glad I finally got one and didn't have to pay 2x the retail price to a dirty scalper. It really is a cool little toy and the emulation of NES games looks 10x better than the Wii U Virtual Console. It's really a night and day difference. I'm glad that they haven't discontinued it and they're working on getting more into the market. I hope that everyone that wants one is able to get one soon and enjoy it, same with the Switch. Cheers.

@NintySnesMan that's a really poor argument when for one it requires breaking the law for every ROM that you have illegally which for most that would likely be all. Second for anyone using an iPhone you can't exactly just get and emulator on iTunes and load up some ROMs. Lastly, playing games designed to play with a controller, on a touch screen, just plain sucks. 60$ is a small price to pay for the original games using the original controller, 100% legal.

Bolted. Would have been fun while waiting for the switch. To late now.

More please. And NES mini 2, SNES Mini, N64 Mini, and Gameboy models to follw!

Probably changing up some parts to try to stop hackers.

@Manjushri If Nintendo can't make more of these in a timely fashion how TF would they ever stay in business ?

It's worth noting that although the demand way much higher than they anticipated and quicker than they could respond to they would have almost certainly met whatever sales target the system had in the first place.

e.g. If you needed to sell 1000 of a product to meet target profit, and you make 2000. Even if it turned out 10,000 people wanted them and you have 8000 people left demanding ones that will take a while to re-supply. In the end You've still met the target and the product was still a success.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Awesome! Enjoy. I thought I wouldn't mind the short controller cords, but even sitting right next to it, they were a bother. Bought a nice thin flexible HDMI cable so I could trot it out wherever and forgot about the adapter. I think of it as a more functional amiibo of an NES, but I'm sure you won't.

@PlywoodStick Small thing but in your argument about common stuff in manufacturing I just wanted to note that models of Raspberry Pi are very often out of stock.

@Biffclaven Sweet find. I also like the whole package deal and I really hope to see it in stock all the time with a couple on the shelf looking all impossible to pass up. I can see myself getting a whole line of these little things for each generation, but I wonder if I'd be just as happy if they sold it with a genuine controller but left the Switch or some other console with the work of actually playing the games. Maybe.

@rjejr I basically believe what Nintendo has said about this, but from our point of view at least it seemed like a no brainer to overstock these in as many stores as possible early on. Clearly Nintendo is not seeing it our way. On the other hand, Nintendo has not been playing from a position of strength lately. I'd like to see that change.

@aaronsullivan "overstock these"

They didn't need to overstock these, just under stock them at a reasonable level. The amount they sold, 2 or 3 per store, they could have sold if they had never announced it, just put them on store shelves some random day in August. 30 NES games for $60, done. But they talked these up months in advance, it was trending on social media, they didn' take pre-orders, and they released it during the feeding frenzy shopping season when people buy stupid golf ball tees and hip flasks from Sharp for random relatives at $20 each. People are insane w/ buying garbage during the holidays, and I still think even in a saner place like Japan they could have done 1.5 mil, bu that's the worldwide total.

The slightest bit of market research and they ccudl have put 20 in each store, if not 50, not literally 2 or 3.

I'm not sure how eBay statistics work, but $60 for $200 on eBay, I'm thinking that's way under stocked. $120 on eBay your still way under stocked. $90 on eBay would have been closer to an understandable under stocked amount.

I don't think Nitnod focus groups or test markets anything, it's all just internal and they have no clue. Well maybe they have a clue - under stock $60 NES Mini so everybody scrambling for 1 buys a $300 Switch instead. They must have plan, everybody has a plan, but their plan was a bad plan and a failure which could have been very easily rectified by checking trends on Twitter or opening up re-orders.

Their loss, we got ours. But I feel bad for people working at N-NYC and dealing w/ the twitter feed. Nintneod is making their lives harder than they need be.

I love my mini NES. I beat Metroid this weekend, one of the few legendary NES games I had not beaten in my youth. I'm moving on to Kid Icarus next! I'm also replaying Final Fantasy I...great game, but boy do I like Dragon Warrior (Quest) better. Too bad that is not on the mini.

As far as the short chords, they're a ton of cheap chord extension options on Amazon, and as discussed in NL repeatedly. Those should be very easy to find.

As far as demand, the demand is clearly still there, as many other sites still routinely report when retailers will have them in. Even Fox News go in on the action last week.

Demand may peter out, but if they introduce a SNES mini later this year, NES mini demand will come right back at the same time. Hopefully Nintendo can make a killing next holiday season, with a strong Switch, Mini NES and Mini SNES, sell through.

@NintySnesMan Because it is not even close to being the same thing.

@YoshiAngemon How pathetic! Keep your TDS to yourself.

When I can walk into a store and get one I will gladly give Nintendo my money. Until then, no biggie.

@aaronsullivan Depends on what's going on in the DIY field at a given moment. There's at least forty-five Pi 3 Model B mobo's on Amazon US right now:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CD5VC92/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=

There's plenty of stores with electronics that sell some type of Pi, as well. There's even alternatives to the Pi in existence, such as CHIP:

https://getchip.com/pages/chip

So yeah, there's options out there. Also, over 10 million Pi's of various varieties have been sold over the past five years:

http://news.softpedia.com/news/10-million-raspberry-pi-computers-have-been-sold-new-starter-kit-available-508106.shtml

In other words, that's 2 million Pi's sold per year, based on the tech orders of a small foundation in the UK that makes 2-3 million pounds a year... of which is legally listed as a charity. That's why Pi's can easily go out of stock, because they're not backed by a multibillion dollar company such as Nintendo.

Nintendo is a fully fledged business, with exponentially more capital and business connections. They should be able to far outpace a charity in production orders, but if they don't hurry, it's going to be the other way around! They've got until November to manufacture and sell at least 500,000 more NES Mini's!

@NintySnesMan So many reasons. I don't believe that you can't think of at least a few of them yourself.

@Jamotello Are they legit, though? Or are they counterfeit? Depending on what "Asian region" you're talking about, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the latter.

It's okay Kimishima, just include the Nes Classic's library as pack in games for the switch

@RichShadow Yeah for a tenner! (£10.00) or $10.

@BAN yep, they're legit. there are places where you can get the questionable stuff, but there are also places for legit stuff. i'd think that the only difference between the mini famicom and nes hardware is the embedded rom, and of course the case. that's why i question this shortage of parts.

@PlywoodStick Yep, it's a small point that still stands. Looking forward to playing with my recent Raspberry Pi 3 purchase but I haven't opened up my Pocket CHIP yet!

It's just not a good match for comparison, in my opinion. Big companies struggling to maintain a profit have different constraints than charities whose goal it is to provide low-cost miniature computers. Small point! Never should have brought it up probably because it hardly matters.

The bigger point here is that Nintendo screwed up the initial orders and ramping things up hit a snag. No reason to be very suspicious of it. Nintendo would much rather have sold 2-3 million in that time if it could have.

@rjejr Nah, should have overstocked. To me, it's just the kind of thing that will eventually sell without an issue. Let it sit on the shelf for people to keep seeing for awhile, they'll eventually give in and it gives sweet nostalgic Nintendo feelings just sitting there. Put it on an end cap.

Anyway, there were more than 2 or 3 per store, it's just that they trickled in that slowly. My local Target probably got 25-35, it was just over weeks of time.

Besides, Nintendo should just try overstocking ALL their hardware for a year. Just one year, go way over their estimates and see what happens. They have to learn somehow.

I can't wait to get one in 2018!

Please, understand.

@YoshiAngemon Pretty sure that post would have got you on some CIA watch list, if you're not already.

If you're going to incite terrorism, please do it elsewhere. Personally, I'd advise against it.

@aaronsullivan Personally I don't see how people would have knew it would sell out from the start. There have been previous devices like this, the Sega ones just seemed like novelties nobody bought and sat alongside the Ouya on shelves.

@aaronsullivan "Anyway, there were more than 2 or 3 per store, it's just that they trickled in that slowly. My local Target probably got 25-35, it was just over weeks of time."

I meant at launch, which was just a week or 2 before BF. They should have had 25-35 at launch, then trickled in 2 dozen at a time, whatever fit in a "case".

It's insane that at in Feb Nintnedo NYC - their flagship store - still has to put out tweets, not just about getting stock in, but giving out bracelets like it's a Bruce Springsteen concert. And it looks like people have gone from insanely angry to giving up.

https://twitter.com/NintendoNYC/status/826554988558241792

https://twitter.com/NintendoNYC/status/827148605739896833

Taken 5 minutes ago, Feb 2.

@rjejr
NES sold 61 million units........... and they thought the power of nostalgia would only move 1.5 million? I mean, that's like 2% of original NES owners coming back. Of course it wouldn't do 61million (though there are the original owners PLUS younger generations getting into old school) but I'd bet at least 10mil would've been EASY to move at that price point.

@Jamotello Maybe. But there's also some proprietary stuff, like the controller's boards, and also their cables/plugs/ports that are likely only ever manufactured when Nintendo puts in an order.

@speedracer216 $300 PS4 did 10 mil over the holiday, those people would have picked up a NES Mini on the side b/c It's 30 games for the price of 1 PS4 game.