People who are struggling to buy a Nintendo Switch will soon be in luck, as more systems are on their way after the global supply started to run low. The price of Nintendo Switch units is rising, as stock becomes scarce and people buy more of the systems.
The self-isolation period caused by COVID-19 has led to people having a lot more free time on their hands. As such, the Nintendo Switch has seen a surge of interest around the globe, as people who have sat on the fence for the past few years suddenly have the time to explore Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The recent release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons has also bolstered interest in the Switch. Animal Crossing fans have waited a long time for a new mainline console entry in the series and the positive reviews for New Horizons mean that the Switch is a must-have system for those interested in the franchise.
The Switch is selling out around the world, but Nintendo is assuring fans that more units are on the way. A Nintendo US representative told GamesIndustry.biz that the Switch is selling out everywhere, but that more units are on the way. This follows a message from Nintendo Japan, saying that only people who reserved Switch units would receive them this week and that a new shipping schedule would be released next week.
The Switch shortages aren't just affecting the console, as Ring-Fit Adventure has become the poster child for demand exceeding supply. Nintendo had seriously underestimated the interest in Ring-Fit Adventure, leading to shortages in Asia and forcing company president Shuntaro Furukawa to issue an apology. Now that the self-isolation period is in full force, the price for Ring-Fit Adventure has skyrocketed on the second-hand market, as people look for fun ways to exercise at home.
Analysts were concerned that Nintendo doesn't have a Switch Pro model lined up for 2020, as they felt that the company needed something to compete with the upcoming console generation. It seems that Nintendo has nothing to worry about, as the company can't even keep the base Switch units in stock. There are shortages of supplies around the world due to COVID-19 and video game consoles have been hit hard, due to production facilities shutting down in China. The Nintendo Switch is a hot commodity right now, but fans have to be careful about being gouged on price and the company has to value the safety of its employees versus the need to make more systems available.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz