Nintendo's NES Classic Edition quickly became one of the most wanted devices in the video game industry when it was launched in November 2016.
However, Nintendo was unable to keep up with the demand for the product, causing a very frustrating supply shortage for the NES Classic Edition that lasted well through the holiday shopping season.
Fortunately for customers still interested in the retro gaming console, stocks of the NES Classic Edition have started trickling into various retailers, with GameStop as the latest to reveal that it will be getting its supply of the device replenished.
GameStop NES Classic Edition Restock
GameStop announced that it will be receiving new shipments of the NES Classic Edition in its stores in the United States this week, giving gamers another opportunity to purchase the retro gaming console.
However, a representative for GameStop added that there will only be a limited number of units that will be coming to each of the company's retail stores. In addition, to ensure that as many gamers are able to acquire the NES Classic Edition and to prevent the practice of hoarding the device and then re-selling them for a sizable profit, customers will only be allowed to purchase one unit of the retro gaming console at a time.
GameStop did not reveal exactly how many units gamers can expect to arrive for each of its stores, but according to a sales associate of the company in one of its locations, stores usually only receive a measly two units per shipment, and that they are usually sold as soon as they arrive.
NES Classic Edition Supply Still Not Catching Up
The news on GameStop replenishing supply for the NES Classic Edition, if you would call two units as such, comes after it was revealed that the device is being made available in select Target stores, as well as in several other online retailers such as Newegg, Player's Choice, and Chunk Toys. It has also been said that Toys R Us will be receiving a huge number of units of the NES Classic Edition on Jan. 26.
Despite the arrival of units through various retailers, Nintendo still remains far behind in closing the gap between the demand and supply of the retro gaming console. There have been instances when retailers replenished their supply of the device, only to see the stocks sell out within just minutes. It is becoming increasingly frustrating for gamers to purchase the NES Classic Edition, with the issue partly due to the failure of Nintendo to properly forecast the demand for the device.
Implications Of NES Classic Edition Supply Shortage
The continuing shortage in the supply of the NES Classic Edition has forced some gamers to resort to certain alternatives, including shelling out big sums of money to purchase the device from re-sellers taking advantage of the situation and building their own version of the device.
A bigger implication of the supply shortage of the NES Classic Edition is the concern that Nintendo will also not be able to properly forecast the demand for its upcoming Nintendo Switch. While the company has stated that it will not be the case for the hybrid console, we will know for sure once it launches on March 3.
