Don't Pay Over The Odds For A SNES Classic Mini, Urges Reggie Fils-Aime

Please make sure you make enough to satisfy demand, then the scalpers have nothing to scalp and won't make any money. And ask sites to put restrictions on how many people can buy. Here in Ireland I seen one disgusting ad where a person was trying to sell 130 of them.

http://www.adverts.ie/nintendo/130-nintendo-snes-classic-mini-consoles-new-sealed/13758162

Well if you want people not to overpay for the SNES Mini Reggie then Nintendo should make enough to meet the demand.

Have have pre-paid preorder scheme on your site where if you preorder in a given time limit (like 2 months or so) and make that amount based on the preorders.

Ok. I Won't pay more than £69.99

It is a 2-way street. If people didn't pay the crazy scalper prices, there wouldn't be a market.

Then make more of them to stop the scalpers. Bloody hell it's not rocket science.

Yes other retro consoles might not have done as well but other makers don't really have the pedigree behind them like you do - of course your stuff is going to sell like hotcakes. Have you learned nothing from the continual amiibo debacle and last year's NED Classic issues?

I love you guys I really do but there's an increasing amount of times I'm wondering what on Earth you're doing. What muppets do you have that think it's a good idea to make 20 pieces of something and think that it will do?

No you are right, we SHOULDN'T have to pay more than retail price, but when Nintendo fails to produce enough stock for everyone, you have little choice.

@SilentHunter382

Precisely! Use basic metrics like pre-orders to gauge demand and produce accordingly!

@JamesR I was just about to say exactly that, lol. If no one buys from scalpers, they would have no incentive to scalp in the first place. It's unfair to blame everything on Nintendo when other people are part of the problem too.

Maybe that's his way of saying that there will be more stocks to come. Just hoping.
But retail stores are also to blame for this one. I don't really know if there is a limit to how many you can preorder, but here in Japan a person is limited only to 1 stock for items such as the Switch. Scalping may not be completely erased this way, but at least it gives a chance for other people who want to buy. And preorder here usually isn't limited to stocks but given a time duration.

Well considering Nintendo's history with games consoles and amiibos, the shortages are always deliberate. They get a lot of free press because of all that.

I will be very, very surprised if I ever see SNES classic on a store shelf anywhere. NES classic sure was never anywhere.

You shouldn't have to pay $30-$60 for a single amiibo, either, but here I am, short 3 Link amiibo from having the full Zelda set. Sorry, I'm not gonna let that go.

We don't have to pay more than 80$ yet the official price in Europe is 99€. Usual PR...

Put golden tickets in chocolate bar wrappers. Seriously, if half of all people who will comment here saying '... don't pay the scalpers.' would actually not pay the scalpers we'd likely be fine. But I think it's one of those times when people will tell themselves they shouldn't buy from a scalper, but they will anyway. Shhhhh... I know it's wrong, but this is too important.

I've got it! Encourage everyone to post photos of themselves actually buying in a store or with their receipt...then for the next round of social shaming/encouragement we'll get people to...

I think we've reached a new low point with Reggie's statements. It's like fans even have a choice with the market being in the state it is due to insufficient supply. And he has the gall to advise us not to pay more than what the actual stores ask for the console because they couldn't get enough copies to make profit for the ones they got with the regular price.

Actually got a bit mad over this statement, for real this time.

Great comment Reggie.

Click bait heaven!!!

So, are a bunch of unscrupulous retailers maybe holding back lots of systems or something--probably places like GAME and Gamestop--just so they can overcharge for them?

@Reggie: I'd love to buy one at that price. How about I actually see them on store shelves... Eh?

Still can't preorder or buy them anywhere in UK unless willing to pay at least double on ebay to scalpers.

I don't believe this will change. Except maybe scalpers upping the prices even more.

If Nintendo doesn't want Nintendo fans to be ripped off, shouldn't Nintendo provide enough units? Haven't they learnt from what happened last year?

Here in Finland they cost 149,90€ because of taxes. I don't like the price, but I really don't have a choice.

Here it retails for around $160 USD...

@KoopaTheGamer From what I've heard from my sources, many shops had to increase the selling price just so they would be able to make any profit off of the consoles due to insufficient supply from Bergsala.

Is he telling us there are gonna be more units in stores, and regular shipments?

@SLIGEACH_EIRE The problem is that stupid people are buying the pre-orders from scalpers on eBay for more than $200. That simply makes scalpers go out and buy more. If everyone refused to pay more than $79.99, then it wouldn't be as big of a problem.

Hopefully he is hinting that there will be more stock.

I still absolutely cannot believe they didn't just make the NES Mini again this year. Instead of the SNES Mini.
I want the SNES too, but I think it was a bad choice. Make more NES Mini so everyone that wants one can buy one, then do the SNES Mini next year.

(I have a NES Mini but still don't understand Nintendo's logic here.)

@Amsterdamsters That's why it should be 1 per customer.

If I were Nintendo, I would intentionally release a very small number of Pre-Orders, then flood the market once the ship date arrives with so many mini-SNES consoles that retailers have to reduce the price to sell (maybe to $50, for which they can still make a profit). All of the scalpers end up screwing people who buy from them and/or losing money when they're stuck with systems they can't sell, and Nintendo doesn't have this problem in the future. Plus, everyone gets a SNES mini and Nintendo makes bank. Win-win. The people who actually purchased a pre-order for themselves get the console earlier, before the price drop.

People wont be happy unless Nintendo shoots itself in the kidney and overproduces the hell out of it.

I just hope that the tech and programming developed will transfer into high quality virtual console content on the Switch. Which I would prefer by a hundred times, to devoting an HDMI port to a glorified plug and play system.

HAHAHAHAHAH Reggie so you funny.

Come November people will be paying 10x the MSRP if they want one because Nintendo will only be making 100 per week.

What a liar.

That makes no sense. How is a supply issue not a supply issue? Is he just denying it's Nintendo's fault?

@Heavyarms55 You can't overproduce a system that millions upon millions of people want. SNES Mini would outsell the Switch if they gave it the chance.

@Bliquid There was a reason, but not what you probably think. The game would have required a special cartridge that would have raised the price, and the N64 was around the corner, so they decided to scrap the project so focus could be kept on the new console.

"Historically low sales of other retro-gaming consoles"? Without looking into why they sell poorly?

Derp.

@SilentHunter382

Those seeking to turn a dime will do anything they can to make it appear as if the device is in short supply, even if demand is actually met.

It's imperative that people don't feel as if they ought to reward scalpers for their practice.

@chardir
It might not be anybody's fault as such.

@XCWarrior I IMMENSELY doubt that. I think you're grossly overvaluing nostalgia.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE I do agree with you but,but, if people would use there head for once then scalpers wouldn't buy them all lol

@chardir really it's the peoples fault for being dumb and feeding in to the scalpers.if no one did then they wouldn't buy them all.

"In this case, it's not [a supply issue]. I would strongly urge you not to over-bid on an SNES Classic on any of the auction sites... You shouldn't [have to] pay more than $79.99."

I'm going to keep this quote right here for easy access in the near future.

be quicker on that pre-order button then.

I have a feeling that Nintendo are holding back stock for the launch. They don't want another NES Mini debacle, because it doesn't benefit them, plus queues are good publicity.

The alternative is that they will ramp up production for the holiday season.

Either way, I don't think we'll see the stock shortages we witnessed before (even if people's fears are reasonable).

I think that it's a bit of a tell and smoke and mirrors.

Nintendo doesn't want a quote like that tossed back at them with lots of bad press and pissed off consumers which could possibly harm other types of sales. And when you figure the limited amounts of preorders that went in 1 wave and that was it then shut down, and with TRU doing none holding their stock, I have a feeling there is a goodly amount of systems being prepped for sale with a release day blowout and a steady feed after.

It probably will be like the Switch. Lots of times you walk in, you find nothing, but if you walk in before people get word of mouth around or the day of arrival or one after you'll find a few in the case. People say you can't find Switch, Saturday I saw 7 in a glass case at best buy. They had to have come in the day before and were still there.

Imagine the good press they'd have going into black friday season if they did make these stocks get mostly withheld so people can get them. The only rage monkey losers would be butthurt scalpers who can't harm other people while all the happy people will be more inclined to cozy up and buy more NIntendo stuff over the holidays. Maybe a related book, some other merch, games, perhaps even a Switch or 2/3DSXL system.

Stop supporting guys. That's why Nintendo is getting away each time. You keep buying and so they make use of that. Let them know support will be there if they can help each fan out. There is no reason for them releasing snes mini that little amount. It's complete BS. Wake up! I stopped buying N after some stuff I just couldn't take anymore. Till i see a proper handheld or "hybrid" console no sale!

How bout not limiting the product Nintendo? Put it on the market for 3 or so years and see the money roll in. When people stop buying the thing then discontinue it.

How about release Star Fox 2 on the Wii U or Switch as a Virtual Console release instead? That would solve this whole "supply" issue.

How sweet would it be if the scalpers buy up a ton of these and then they are abundant in store and they have to eat the loss?

People wouldn't have to if Nintendo manufactured enough. It seems like A massive excuse to say other retro consoles didn't sell very well, when they already released the NES mini which was hugely popular. They knew the interest was high, yet still did exactly what they did with the NES.

I want to believe him, but I can't take that chance. Overnighting outside Target to insure I get one. I'll just read a book or play my Switch or 3DS then bam. First guy with a SNES mini in my town.

I think what he's saying is, they're gonna flood the market with these things. Have a little patience and stop spazzing out that the initial preorder batch sold out.

If, come December 31st, there still isn't enough, then by all means spaz. But not before the bloody thing has even released and we see the in store stock situation and frequency of restock.

snes mini costs 150€ from store in finland

@vetoville @KoopaTheGamer
Finland has it bad. Can you not import it from Russia somehow? Dunno how it would work, but it's only around 87$ here. And the system is probably in all the languages anyway, right? Right??

@Kolzig Such a stupid comment. Why would they choose negative free press over units sold?

I decided to buy another (properly functioning)snes instead of this fancy, hardly obtainable emulator. The cartridges + system may be more expensive in comparison, but it's the "Real
Deal" . Also dont (necessarily) have to support scalpers. I'll just take my time getting the games I want.

It's Nintendo of America - there will be a repeat, they'll make up a lame excuse, everyone will be angry about it, Fils-Aime will keep his job, and nothing will change.

@Kolzig I highly doubt it. Sure, they get press, but it's bad press. Nobody thinks fondly of Nintendo when the words "NES Classic Edition" are mentioned. I definitely think it was a matter of Nintendo playing it safe and trying to avoid overstocking shelves and then being surprised by consumer response, all too late to keep up with demand.

That is the same thing they said about the NES classic mini and we all know how that turned out . Sorry Reggie I can't trust what you say .

@DarkmarkUnited Americans pay $103 CAD so we actually save $4 lol

"You shouldn't [have to] pay more than $79.99"

Correct, we shouldn't, but we do as your company is incompetent.

Here's the problem. Scalpers believe that there will be supply shortages, so they hoard. They don't actually know how much supply there will be, so they will still buy up as many as they can get their hands on. Even if Nintendo makes "enough" to meet all the actual demand of people who want to play them, I bet prices will still originally start out very high on the secondary market, although they then might drop fairly quickly.

The best thing in the world would be if the release date came, and the scalpers flooded eBay only to find that the company put a worldwide BAN on selling the SNES Mini...in my dreams @_@

@TheFatPlumber The amount of units they would have to make to "stop the scalpers" would be enormous...even if this fantasy scenario came to pass, now you've got market saturation, PLUS billions of units in the hands of scalpers, who can't make any money off of them, and return them all to stores. Now Nintendo is out a LOT of money, and they have billions of units in a warehouse that they can't sell, so they try to coup a loss by destroying everything and burying it under slabs of concrete in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Well, I guess that might not be so bad, I hear Atari is doing very well these days, aren't they??

In my eyes Reggie has become a greasy pimp with the integrity of your average politician. He has zero credibility left, reguritating whatever bullcrap he's programmed with. A corporate shill. I was super lucky I found an NES Classic, as it was my gift to myself for veteran's day. The only reason I found one is that I drove over an hour and hit up two different stores at midnight after the first had half of what the told me (turns out some idiot didn't know the difference between the xbox one s which launched the same night and the nes classic) and I barely made the line at the other store; got their last one. Reggie lied about it having always been limited. Execs from both Nintendo of Japan and America talked about increases in production and making sure it would be available for any one who wanted one. NOJ made it a point to apologize. It's a matter of fact and historical record that this is Nintendo's ignorant go to method of creating hype through artificial/managed scarcity. They value the hype and the press they recieve more than their fans. Unless I can walk into a retail store and purchase one through a normal shopping experience or easily order one online at msrp, I won't be worrying about getting one of these overhyped emulation machines. I'll build my own. I own every one of the games in cartridge, save for Star Fox 2. It's just not worth playing their game for convenience just to pay them to consolidate some roms dumps they themselves got from the internet. Nor should anyone give the subhuman scalper filth their money. Reggie... just stop.

@Nico87

Because like with NES Classic they can say that buy Switch instead.

There have been countless good reports on this that Nintendo doesn't really want to sell millions of Classic devices for cheap. They got incredible amounts of publicity last year because of NES everywhere. Then it started turning negative because they didn't want to supply more than part of the incoming orders.

They only time in more than ten years that I have heard completely random people at places for example at workplaces people who never have talked about games before mention Nintendo was last Chrismas. First everyone was hopeful that they could revisit their childhood and show their own kids how the games were back then and play together, but then it turned sour because Nintendo didn't produce people what they wanted. Only after that the negative press started and Nintendo completely missed the big profits NES Classic.

In the end the only ones who did profit was the scalpers like with every limited edition these days that Big N produces. Another example is Metroid 2 limited edition.

If nintendo just charged a lot more for them, there would be no problem. They would make more money, they WOULD increase production, and prices would come down eventually. It's all caused by a misplaced attempt at being nice and keep prices low. However, this might of course divert attention within Nintendo from being an innovating games company, to becoming a lazy reseller of their own past products, which I could understand if many at Nintendo want to avoid.

Nintendo should rather focus on making a great virtual console collection along with wireless controller replicas of nes and snes. I'd probably pay 79$ for that snes selection along with a wireless snes controller for switch. I don't have room for the snes mini in my life though, cool as it looks.

@Mortenb it's really cute and sweet that you think it's because Nintendo is being nice and trying to help us out at their expense, but if you believe that fairytale, I have a castle in the mushroom kingdom to sell you..

Sorry, everyone, but it will happen again. The precedent has been set and there's no way to prevent these leaches from buying up bulk and inserting themselves into the transaction. Nintendo has neither the interest or resources to sell them direct in a controlled manner, so we're stuck with the parasites looking to cash in. Do you think the preorders sold out in seconds because that many people each ordered one at a time for personal use? It was our friends the scalpers, stocking up for profit season.

If only we could get everyone to avoid them, and just stick them with their "stock". Just imagine these parasites seething, tripping over dozens of unsold units cluttering their homes and out hundreds of dollars they can't recoup. Well, nice to think about but they'll be the ones getting what they want again. Stacks of cash for doing nothing but forcing their way into the transaction and screwing over the users.

If you wind up buying one from a scalper, just remember, he's laughing at you as he counts up your money.

@Jimsbo I partially agree but the crux is the very low levels of stock. Imagine something like iPhone 8 or Surface Phone (to say two hyped things) to launch in small amounts, the price will also be much higher on Ebay.

So yes, scalpers don't have a heart but Nintendo is the one to blame.

@Tsusasi I do believe they are trying to sell it cheaply to appease the public opinion. If they charged more they would be accused of charging too much. It's an impossible situation. They should just concentrate on Switch.

Not trying to be a donkey. But I guess this is kind of obvious advice. And yeah, someone might argue that Nintendo could avoid this by making enough for everyone. Which, in a perfect world, is somewhat accurate. But at the end of the day, you're a fool if you're paying almost double or more for something that isn't a necessity and if is the case, you can be patient and just wait for more to be produced.

Well I'm just gonna make a retro pi. More games and can do more then a snes mini.

We shouldn't have to pay more than 79.99. We shouldn't.......but we will. I'm calling BS on this. I'll believe it when I see it.

He does make a good point though that the best way to combat scalpers is to not give them your money in the first place. Also I don't think the supply issues are really that bad considering how I have heard stories of literally crates full of NES Minis being sold on Ebay. It just seems like that because the scalpers are buying up everything for themselves leaving the rest of us folks with the scraps

Reggie should be a comedian, because his statement is hilarious.

SNES Classic will be difficult to find, just like the NES Classic.

I'll eat my words if retail stores have it in stock in a few weeks on release.

Then why did Nintendo stop producing the NES Classic Mini so soon? Or the Fire Emblem Fates Special Edition? Or the Gold/Silver Mario amiibo? Or the Red/Blue/Yellow Pokémon 2DS bundles?

Most of these items haven't been available in stores for more than a few hours let alone a day.

@JaxonH "If, come December 31st, there still isn't enough"

I know you're the glass is overflowing guy, and I'm the glass is smashed into a million pieces lieing on the floor guy, but even you can't believe there will be adequate stock until Dec 31. I'm pretty sure by Sept 30th, the day after launch, these things will be difficult to find and people will be buying them from scalpers afraid even that source will dry up before too long.

NES Mini was bad, but Ntinedo - not Reggie, Nintedo HQ in Japan - said this was a holiday limited item. As if the scalpers weren't already foaming at the mouth, that doubled the scalper price from $100 to $200 instantly. Probably more.

It doesn't matter what Reggie says, it doesn't matter what anyone says, the scalpers were already ready to buy up a lot of these, but that holiday limited remark sent them into a feeding frenzy.

"Super NES Classic Edition is currently planned to ship from Sept. 29 until the end of calendar year 2017. At this time, we have nothing to announce regarding any possible shipments beyond this year."

http://www.businessinsider.com/nintendo-mini-snes-availability-2017-6

Will there be more than NES Mini? Well it would be hard not to as they'd have to make zero of them, but from what I could tell from comments on here last year more people wanted the SNES than the NES. I just can't believe a situation where any of these remain on shelves for more than a few minutes. And thats' coming from a guy who's seen Switch sit on shelves for weeks in my local Target, wondering what all the fuss is about. I still haven't bought one.

So I'd like to hope your right, but I can't, even I have my limits.

OK, to end on a high note - last year all we read about was NES Mini shortages, but that's b/c thats' all there was - Wii U was dead and Switch was still months away. This year, regardless of SNES Mini probably selling out Sept 29th and never being seen again except on eBay, FE:W releases Oct 20th, SMO 1 week later on Oct 27th. And Skyrim and FIFA and NBA2k. So at least the whining and complaining can be drowned out by all the happy people playing games.

What a load of ****... If they went on and produced again the same amount of already produced NES minis it still wouldn't meet demand! Why didn't they? It is another reason.

As someone who has yet been able to secure a pre-order after being in the "race" over 3 retailers (and quite annoyed about it), I actually believe him. I think this is as close to guaranteeing that there will be enough supply as he can say without saying it. The key for me is him saying its not a supply issue - which is the reasoning for pretty much all of their shortages that they speak to - they just don't acknowledge Amiibo shortages at all. And also when he states the pre-order debacle is out of their control, he may be alluding to the fact that they can't control the fact that scalpers are using bots to sell these things out immediately. When a product goes on sale at 1 or 3AM with no forewarning at all and sells out within 10 minutes (not 20 min or 30 min... 10min!!!) There is foul technology afoot. This is a common issue that plagues concert ticket sales as well. I have stated in the past that Nintendo does have the ability to dictate when retailers launch their pre-order programs (I was right about the NA campaign), but what they can't control are the scalpers using bots to systemically purchase all these pre-orders at once.

I believe him. I hope he's right!

@Hikingguy I can agree on that there are less games then the NES version which is disappointing but there is far more meat and less filler in comparison. Regarding price, Sure it is more expensive but the fact that you get 2 controllers with the system this time I am happy to be paying more for the system upfront instead of having to track down a second controller.

"Historically Low Sales of Retro Consoles from other makers."

Somehow, I don't buy this argument. Atgames would not keep making Atari 2600 and Sega Genesis retro consoles if they did not enjoy decent sales and stores would not keep stocking them.

You don't keep making products year after year and sell them if there is no audience.

The reason why the NES Classic gained so much attention and the system flew off shelves was for two major reasons.

1. The NES Classic was the first official re-release of NES games on a dedicated platform that was not part of a Virtual Console or other stuff like the Classic NES Series on the GBA. In other words, if you wanted to play NES games again and never owned a Wii, Wii U, 3DS, or GBA this was the only ticket outside of emulation on a computer.

2. The NES Classic was a cut above anything Atgames had been doing.

The other problem with Reggie's Argument is that it makes no sense. If Nintendo judged the number of NES Minis based on sales data of what Atgames was doing, then they made a serious mistake.

The Atari 2600 Flashback console was on its 7th version last year, while the Sega Genesis has been produced in some form since 2008.

On top of which, there have been numerous collections released over the years of both Atari 2600 and Sega Genesis games.

The point is, fans of games on those consoles all have various ways to play the games for those systems.

What made the NES Mini stand out was the fact that Nintendo was making a retro console of their own with games that you either had to own an old NES to play or have bought over the years on Virtual Console.

The real kicker in all of this was that Nintendo's brief presence in the Retro Game Market with the NES Mini scared Atgames and forced them to get off their duff and revamp their hardware for the 2017 editions as well as going out and getting more third-parties onboard.

Nintendo could have been the market leader with the NES Mini and now the SNES Classic Mini. Which boggles the mind as to why both can't be on store shelves this holiday season.

Nintendo is already facing shortages of Switch consoles this holiday season, and the SNES Classic Mini is likely going to be sold out. Why not put out some more NES Minis to fill the game? Make customers happy while Nintendo gets some sales from people who did not get one the first-time?

Because at this point, the aging 3DS is going to be the one holding down Nintendo's fort during the Holiday Season.

The fact is, Reggie is spinning the truth. If they underestimated demand of the NES Mini, then why not keep making them?

I love Nintendo, but they were very short-sighted on this. And they still won't learn a damn thing. Next year when they announce a Nintendo 64 or Game Boy Mini and get the scalpers salivating, they still won't amp up production of the NES or SNES Mini.

Nintendo for some reason I can't fathom has decided to leave millions of dollars out of their hands and turn away customers who would want an NES or SNES mini

I want one, but I am not paying a penny over retail price.

RIght message wrong messenger. I agree there isn't a world where we should have to pay over retail, and I personally won't put a DIME in a scalper pocket. But really Reg? You and your company just had the dumbest preordering process in the US I have ever seen! No advance notice, releases in the middle of the night. Sites that said they would send notifications did not. Orders put into the cart that wouldn't go through. And you have the nerve, the unmitigated gall to lecture about paying scalpers? This process is the ONLY reason scalpers can charge what they do.

With that said, is it possible that stock will hit shelves? I guess although if that's the case why have such a small preorder window? If there is definitely going to be stock, just take the money of all that want to give it. I ordered Destiny 2, do you know what DIDNT happen? Amazon didn't say no we can only take 100 preorders. Because there is stock of Destiny 2 and everyone knows it.

I have spoken to my GameStop about a 8 minute drive from my house and the manager who I'm fan acquaintance of says they will get stock but they don't know how much. That's a far cry from stock will be on shelves. If you really want to get a Snes classic, I say camp out. Is that convenient, not in any way. But I personally would sit outside with my Switch, a cup of hot cocoa and like minded individuals for hours before I let scalpers profit.

yeah, Reggie is a known liar. I dont believe him

I'm happy I was able to secure an online pre-order. But I have many friends who couldn't. They're going to be taking the 29th off and lining up at stores like Toys R Us which didn't do pre-orders. I think Reggie is right, provided people who missed out online can still get a walk-in console on launch day. After that though, some people may be left with no choice but to pay those scum of humanity eBay mark-ups.

Like I said and others in this mix up here — there was only one brief round of preorder, Nintendo opened the door, but it was retailer bungling that caused a lot of grief there. If what we're reading is some form of the truth, odds are NOA banned more preorders as a way to stop scalpers from buying up large blocks of systems online. Those who did we saw many of them going into a rage when stores canceled the extras, yet they also didn't put them back up for sale either (which no one comments on.) Amazon, Walmart, anyone who oops allowed 3+ systems to get bought pulled the rug out.

Nintendo wants a good holiday and having before that period this now show up and few getting it and many getting pissed off won't help. They don't need more bad press for their name pre-holiday when it's the Switch's first and they got more 3DS stuff coming (and that fresh 2DSXL too.) They want to sell more games, more systems, and even more wearable, consumable, drinkable, usable merch. If they piss off and alienate people some will rage and not buy a damn thing unless it says Sony or MS on it instead.

Do I think it will be super easy to get one, no. Do I think it will be as ugly as the NES to get one, no. TRU dodged the bullet, and others pulling out scalpers duplicates didn't re-offer either. There will be supply, there will be more supply, but the questions are how much and how often through the year.

Reggie and Nintendo screwed us so badly of the mini NES that I will not be buying, instead I spent $60 got a raspberry pi (retro pi) and a neat nes case on it as well as some classic nes controllers that have longer cords than the mini nes, and can play both SNES and NES. Thanks to your shortage there was a ton of people that made me aware of how easy it was to set this up and that it actually exists. That's my big middle finger to Reggie and Nintendo. It gets the job done and I don't have to camp out for something I probably wouldn't get in the first place or pay high dollar to a scalper.

If there numbers were based off low demand on other classic consoles, that still doesn't explain why they haven't announced plans to manufacture even more.

I don't think you can tell an auction to not go over an MSRP, but what do I know, I'd have to research the subject. And this: "Fils-Aime also denied that the shortages of the NES Classic were deliberate, and that initial production numbers for the system were based on "historically low" sales of other retro-gaming consoles from rival manufacturers." — This would be all well and good if this was ANY retro-gaming console, but it is a "NINTENDO" retro-console, which means insta-"more valuable". For Nintendo to underestimate their own brand power, I'm sorry, that is an excuse and a major missed opportunity, estimates be damned. Regardless to the reasons, both Nintendo themselves (money-wise) and gamers (product-wise) are the biggest losers while scalpers cleaned up. It's best Nintendo/Reggie/etc. just stop talking about it-- It's over now, Nintendo, let it go and learn from it.

But how am I going to make enough cash to buy imported units now, If I can't sell PAL units to people at £150/200 a pop?

@pixel_jones Not understanding your outrage if you weren't planning on buying one to begin with

He is right in general...if you don't pay scalpers they stop scalping.

@Deadstanley that makes too much sense

@UmbreonsPapa I cannot buy something that will not be there, I could not get a pre-order and cannot camp out (because I have a job and kids) therefore I will not be able to get one. I really wanted a nes mini and did everything in my will (except pay a scalper) to get one and was unsuccessful, my outrage is at Nintendo. I had several non gaming friends who grew up (like me) playing the nes that was confused because something that was so heavily advertised as being in stores (even advertised in Walmart and Target and toy stores Christmas catalogs) and nobody was able to find one or understand why they weren't available - that's why I'm an outraged why throw bait in front of our face and then take it away, that's deplorable customer service as well as pissing right on top of your fans. That's why I'm outraged!

Bullshit, Reggie, you haven't left me any choice because you're refusing to even sell the SNES Classic in Quebec, and you've blocked all online retailers from even shipping to Quebec. Where am I supposed to buy the thing if not from auction sites?

I found a nes mini in Sainsbury's for £79 last Christmas. I put it back on the shelf after telling the manager of the store how disgusting it was. Scalpers on eBay is one thing- huge stores upping their price is even worse.

Tell that to ebay! They need to start prohibiting sellers from selling them higher than the list price!

I'll be hopeful its just a case of more shipments after launch but really Nintendo, you need to stock more then the scalpers can profit off of....

Deliver, Nintendo.

Nintendo: (Makes desirable product with low production run and a never-released prototype and other premium-valued games) Don't pay more than MSRP for this, folks
(After release date)
Nintendo: We really have no idea how this ended up in the hands of scalpers looking to sucker collectors; we really do not

I think this will be a repeat of the last years debacle

if 100 people want it and they make 100..... ebayers buy all of them to get those 100 to pay. It's almost like you have to make double so that the ebayers can only sell half of theirs and return the rest when demand looks low.

it's confusing so i get the problem. but Nintendo has to blame themselves for part of it because they did this, it would seem, on purpose with Amiibo. so everyone gets scared about each new product in case they miss it.

That's easy for a CEO to say.

It's not the auction sites which are the problem, but sites like Amazon letting people list them for whatever price they like just like amiibos. And then shops like CEX and even Game selling "used" units for more than the price of the new price. But all this can be avoided if Nintendo promise to keep producing them for years to come. Supply will catch up to demand eventually and they'll sit on shop shelves for people to pick up when they like. As of right now we suspect it'll be a case of shutting down production come April so people aren't in the business of waiting out until they come into stock. Nintendo has created this anxiety with the NES mini fiasco.

I'm very doubtful, from everything that I'm seeing this is all pointing out to be a repeat of the NES Classic all over again.

I believe that they held numbers for pre-orders to a much lower quantity to combat scalping. I don't see him taking the time to make this statement if it were otherwise. I believe that they are aware of the scalping issue and their inability to do anything to combat the tools that scalpers use to snap up supply from their retailers' ecommerce systems. I think he is telling us, without making a personal guarantee, that there will be enough... don't buy from scalpers.

What he says about the NES mini also makes sense when you think about the two different approaches to how large organziations plan and execute short run product lines compared to long run product lines. It would not surprise me (I have been through it) if they had an initial production run (or runs in quick succession) of the NES Minis based on a very misguided forecast. Their original plan would be to have a single run of a product line that would provide a guaranteed injection of revenue that would not require a large amount of effort to manage on a continual basis. A once and done, if you will. The production run was complete and their production partners production plan afterwards was already consumed by other customers and orders. Starting the whole process up again is very costly and because they didnt see this as an ongoing product line supported by software development and software sales, they decided to not restart production.

Their plan for the SNES Mini is actually likely to be the same. But this time they have a more educated and accurate forecast of demand. They stated in both cases that these are not long running product lines and it takes resources away from their main lines (which is true). Everything he says makes Operational sense to me. I just wish he would have said something earlier or even prior to pre-orders being released that could have eased peoples minds more. The best thing that could happen is to see tons of SNES minis on ebay SEPT 30th for below MSRP when the scalpers get stuck with hundres of dollars of ballast!

Well people do this to themselves. If you give scalpers your hard earned cash they spend their free time sucking up product (doesn't matter how many Nintendo churns out) so just wait for them to hit stores if you missed the preorder.

@rjejr
Nah, I don't think so man. They're coming into this prepared this time and fully aware of the demand. I'm just not seeing it. They're going to have 4 full entire months selling this thing until the end of the year. Now if you just expect them to release the same amount as last time then sure, I can totally understand how you could doubt it, but I don't think they're going to do that. They specifically said they weren't going to do that. Maybe they were lying, but for now I'm going to take what they said at face value and believe them when they say they're going to "dramatically increase production".

Now, how many NES were sold? About 2.3 million. And they are going to "dramatically increase production" above that. Dramatically. What constitutes a dramatic increase? At least doubled, maybe even tripled? Let's assume they make 5 million of these things. Which is a lowball estimate. There is no way that is not enough. Yes the scalpers are all over them, and they will continue to be, but the scalper threats by and large stop at the doors of the high retail shops. Scalpers love to snatch up stock online, and with bots, and a few of them will even go in store, but if they flood the market with 5 million units, most of which will be sold in stores only, that's going to solve the problem.

Now I could be wrong, but I don't think I am. Even the Switch has barely sold 5 million in the 6 months it's been out. And it's already showing up on store shelves across the world, even despite the scalpers. You mean to tell me that 5 million won't be enough releasing them in the span of just 4 months? Concentrating stock in stores rather than online at that?

Naww, I'm not buying it. It may never get to the point they're everywhere with orange clearance stickers on them, but I'm willing to bet anyone and everyone who wants one will have the opportunity to get one if they go to a store. The initial rush is going to be a craze- there's no getting around that. But I think they've got a bait and switch going on here and they're going to concentrate stock in the stores to get around the scalpers who are too lazy to go lineup outside before release. And if they send regular restocks every two weeks for the rest of the year it's only going to take a few times before most people in towns have one. For example, during the amiibo craze I would never see more than 7 other people outside lined up. So let's say they send enough stock to each store for every person standing outside in line. And what happens for the next 12 restocks where there's only a couple people? I'm telling you man, there's going to be enough stock. Not to mention retailers have been canceling extra orders per account this time, whereas last time you could've ordered 20 of them. That's going to significantly increase the amount of stock available online. Especially if they limit it to one per account and per address so even if people make multiple accounts they will have to have a separate address for every single one they buy.

Maybe if you people didn't create perfect scalper breeding grounds and renege on your promises to make supply meet demand, you wouldn't have to tell people this.

@JaxonH @AcesHigh I'm no fan of Reggie but I'm inclined to agree with you guys here. I don't see why he would make this statement unless they were confident that there will be enough stock in stores so that most everyone, if not absolutely everyone, who wants one will be able to get one. A repeat of the NES mini would be bad business for Nintendo. It would make sense to me that they deliberately limit the number available for pre-order. (And kudos to Toysrus for not even doing preorders at all.)

@retro_player_22

See, the problem with your logic is, it makes perfect sense and would make nintendo mad bank. We all know nintendo hates making money.

@Ryu_Niiyama

True, very true. Unfortunately it also affects us non-scalper feeders.

@8itmap_k1d

Don't we wish.

Glad some people get how Nintendo can stop scalpers, it's called fulfill preorders. Even better have everyone pay a non-refundable $25-30. That way if a scalper creates 100 preorders they pay and never get their money back after everyone gets their systems and won't buy one with a inflated price.

Nintendo, great at games, bad at game business.

PS fire the person who said the NES Classic couldn't do better than a cheaply made retro Sega system with trash software , like 8-bit chess.

Speaking of lack of availability, since when did NOA start selling the standard new 3DS on their refurbished online store? The Black Friday model is available too. So that's.. something...

@tedko I agree with you 100% on TRU as well. I hypothesized (more whistful pondering) last month that maybe the delay with NA pre orders might imply that NOA would do away with pre orders alltogether for this very reason. Looks like hopefully they just limited pre orders to appease retailers and fans alike. But yeah, kudos to TRU for throwing the ultimate middle finger to scalpers in general! Thats where Im going to line up Sept 29! Riggie's commentary shared here today said a lot and explained a great deal. Im happy with the communication.

Ahahahahahahahahahaa!
Yeah, Ok Reggie. Let me just go to my nearest video game store and see if I can pre-order it. Oh, nvm, they ran out of pre-orders on the first day.
( - .- )

@pixel_jones My bad. I think I misunderstood your OP as not intending to buy one at all. I get you now.

You guys realise that for most smaller retailers they would be stupid for selling to a consumer. For instance the NES classic cost in Canada is like 76.00 and retails for 79.99 so why would a retailer who gets say 4 units sell it to a customer for 79.99 to make $4.00? Then that customer puts it on amazon or ebay for 300.00 might as well just put them on eBay and tell your customer you are sold out.

@JaxonH I agree with your numbers, they made about 2mil last time and maybe they'll make 5mil this time. I thought last time they could have sold about 10mil. I think this time they could sell about 10mil. So even if they make 5mil thats still only half.

Don't confuse the sales of a $300 console without a game that will be available for the next 5 years at a lower price and bundled with a game, with an $80 console with 21 games built in that will be available for the next 4 months. Scalpers can buy 4 SNES Mini for the price of 1 Switch. That's incentive to wait on line. And get a few friends to wait online w/ you.

The only way for there to be enough SNES Mini stock is if after NES Mini people have given up. But the scalpers won't.

If you want to know how things are going just follow Nitnedo NY on twitter and read the replies. Should be better than NES Mini comments if only b/c most people are expecting the worst.

https://twitter.com/NintendoNYC

I do trust. I refuse to believe Nintendo will stuff up again and there will be stock shortages like the NES. In fact, given the long lead time of announcing the SNES and it so early in the hands of media to test, there'll be enough manufactured, at least for day 1 enthusiasts.

@FragRed: of course you have the choice to not buy anything at all. And in that case you also save money.

Please tell that to the Swedish retailers selling it for $190

Reggie's message suddenly makes more sense now that, only one day later, Nintendo has announced a new production run of the NES Mini and that SNES Mini will be shipped into 2018!

And since the official price here in South America is higher than $79, guest I won't get one.
Maybe down the road if I find one used and cheap.

"You shouldn't pay more than 80 dollars" is just faint praise. We shouldn't have to pay more than sixty, either, given the games are old titles in place of a proper Virtual Console service on Switch, and yet, here we are. I bet the higher-than-NES price has a lot to do with Starfox 2, which again is a game that has been held back by Nintendo themselves due to the then-upcoming Nintendo 64, and making a selling point out of something you purposefully hold back before is just plain slimy business.

the scalpers will have their automatic web browser bots order 500 from each retailer. good luck finding any

@Heavyarms55 I don't. You can't tell me at Christmas time a mother wouldn't rather pay $60 or $80 for a system with 20-30 games than $350 for a system that doesn't come with any games packed in.

It would outsell the Switch over a holiday period, no doubt.

@XCWarrior Oh please. You think it's kids who want the NES Mini? lol that's cute. I'd bet that 350 bucks that the overwhelming majority of the demand comes from young adults and adults.

There will be some mothers who buy it for their kids at random, but most parents find out what their kids want and buy that if they can, or buy something ELSE the kid wants that they can.

I wouldn't mind paying extra to get an extra 9-10 games like the rest of the Donkey Kong Country trilogy and ISS Deluxe.

@Tempestryke Making sense seem to be difficult to companies nowadays, even Crapcom failed to understand. They can be rolling in cash right now if only they bring their pies to the place where everyone can get them.

@retro_player_22

Exactly!

@JamesR I totally agree with you but this situation unfortunately leaves enthusiasts with no other option. I literally never saw the NES classic available anywhere for its entire lifespan. It was either feed a scalper or do without. Nintendo needs to make enough to meet the early demand otherwise the scalpers just keep gobbling them up the entire time as they did with the Nes. It was easy money for the scalpers.

@th3r3ds0x I also never saw a NES classic for sale either in the wild or available online at RRP. I still don't have one.

I'm happy that it seems like I will get another try next summer.

If Nintendo are unable to make more they should prioritise loyal customers through MyNintendo or sell through the Switch eShop. It will at least eliminate people buying in bulk.