Heading into the holiday season, the only gadget that consumers were having more trouble finding besides the Switch was the SNES Classic. Armed with a selection of some of the greatest games ever made, the mini console followed in the footsteps of its predecessor, the NES Classic, and quickly became impossible to find. Despite promises from Nintendo that orders would be fulfilled going into the holiday season, as of two weeks ago, potential buyers were still forced to keep their eyes on NowInStock.com and their hands clasped in prayer. Now that the dust has cleared from holiday season 2017, did Nintendo meet the demand?
In short: no.
Q4 of 2017 came and went with nearly complete radio silence from Nintendo regarding their highly-demanded device. There were scattered reports of sporadic availability from Gamestop, Amazon, and the like, but the systems predictably didn’t last into double-digit minutes, and there was no warning by Nintendo or any of the retailers. Luck and constant vigilance are necessary to even get a shot at a SNES Classic, as Nintendo seems to have relinquished responsibility and control for announcing sales. This is the best consumers can get now:
In case you were wondering, they’re sold out.
For both the Switch and NES Classic, Nintendo was accused of manufacturing demand for the systems, deliberately shorting suppliers to keep up sales numbers for a longer time. While the Switch has managed to stabilize, shortages are the legacy of the NES Classic. If Nintendo can’t make good on their promises, that will be the legacy of the SNES Classic as well—and invite even more scrutiny on their sales practices.