Nintendo won't be restocking the NES Classic or SNES Classic Edition after the upcoming holiday season. While both have been ultra-popular gifts for the nostalgic crowd, Nintendo says it's done making them.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed that once stocks of the mini consoles run out in the holidays, they'll be out of production, with no restocks planned anytime soon.
NES Classic And SNES Classic Edition Going Away For Good
"We've said that the current systems are the extent of our classic program," said Fils-Aime. "We've also been clear that, at least from an Americas perspective, these products are going to be available through the holiday season and once they sell out, they're gone."
NES Classic Supply Issues
The NES Classic Edition had supply issues at the time of release. Met by overwhelming clamor, the consoles flew off the shelves quickly, and some of those who couldn't get one sought to acquire them from third parties, regardless of egregious markups. Worse yet, Nintendo failed to address supply problems swiftly, which caused overpricing from unofficial sellers to continue. The company later promised more stocks would come and also admitted that it had underestimated the demand people would have for its throwback systems.
The SNES Classic Edition, on the other hand, never ran into the same production issues as its predecessor when it was released in September 2017, partly because Nintendo had learned its lesson. But now that it's going out, fans may soon return to the point where finding the console in its original price will be difficult.
Will Nintendo Release More 'Classic' Consoles?
It's not clear if Nintendo plans on making more "classic" consoles. Speculation suggests there's a miniature Nintendo 64 on the way. But Fils-Aime says that fans who really want their shot of Nintendo nostalgia should go and try Nintendo Switch Online, a subscription service that includes playable classic games such as Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and lots more. Nintendo regularly adds titles to the library too. This month, it's putting in Ninja Gaiden, Wario's Woods, and Adventures of Lolo. on the service.
Right now, both the NES Classic and SNES Classic are available from most major retailers, including GameStop, Best Buy, and Walmart. Amazon is going to sell them as well — the NES Classic will be in stock on Dec. 18, while the SNES Classic won't ship until Dec. 22.
