Nowadays, it's quite a feat to score a Nintendo console, be it the Switch, the NES Classic Edition, or the recently announced Super NES Classic Edition.
Arguably, the Wii U deserves a spot in the growing list since it's been discontinued, after all, but that's a different story.
Now supply shortage has become more or less Nintendo's thing, and that's mainly because of the high demand for its consoles coupled with scalpers taking advantage of it. Even Apple may have a hand in it too.
In other words, the NES Classic Edition and the Switch may be foretelling how it will turn out for the Super NES Classic Edition, and despite Nintendo's promise to "produce significantly more units," things aren't looking good.
Reason 1: Even 1 Unit Per Customer Doesn't Work
In a bid to prevent a supply shortage for the Super NES Classic Edition, Nintendo UK imposed a one-console-per-customer rule for the preorders. That ensures that scalpers won't be the only ones getting something from the store.
However, just after a couple of minutes, all stocks were sold out.
That just goes to show that while measures like this promote fairness, they're not enough as a solution.
It's worth mentioning that certain retailers are also enforcing the limit.
Reason 2: Scalpers, Hoarders Are Quick
The competition primarily consists of scalpers and other customers like yourself, but what you're really up against here is an army of bots.
That might be an exaggeration, but there's likely a ton of programs out there that'll purchase the Super NES Classic Edition in a snap once they go up for preorder.
Put differently, software can hit the buy button a whole deal faster than average users.
Reason 3: You Need Infinite Patience - Or A Lot Of Money
One good chance to get the Super NES Classic Edition is to keep tabs on landing pages and stock updates like a hawk, and sometimes, you may need to invest a lot of hours into it.
However, if money's no object, eBay is always there, with prices ranging from around $370 to about £500 (or $650) at the time of this writing. For the record, the retro console has a $79.99 MSRP.
The thing is, if you buy one from a scalper, you're encouraging them to continue doing shady stuff like this for many generations to come. But hey, you'll drastically increase the odds of getting a Super NES Classic Edition this way.
Long story short, you probably won't get a Super NES Classic Edition because of unscrupulous hoarders, bots, and whatnot, even though Nintendo promised significantly more units this time around. Of course, that's not to say that no one but scalpers will get ahold of the coveted console, though.
Sure, things are looking grim, but at any rate, don't forget to check out our mini guide on how to preorder and where to buy the system to somewhat up your chances.
Have you had any luck in securing an order for the Super NES Classic Edition already? If so, feel free to hit us up in the comments section below and let us know.
