Nintendo President Admits Switch Supplies Might Not Stabilize For Holiday Shoppers
Fils-Aime made the comments at Variety’s Entertainment and Technology Summit, and it's definitely a blow to those that were hoping to score a console at MSRP (instead of inflated prices on eBay), as 2017 winds down. “Certainly the demand is there, and our supply chain is there” said Fils-Aime, referencing the company's earlier goal of selling 10 million Switch consoles during its current fiscal year. “Are we going to have enough for the holiday? That’s what we are focused on.”
The fact that Fils-Aime is still questioning his company's ability to deliver this close to the holiday season should be all the confirmation that you need to show that Nintendo will likely fall short of satisfying the masses.
Late last month, Nintendo addressed concerns that gamers had with regards to Switch supplies. "We're doing everything we can to make sure everyone who wants to buy a Nintendo Switch system can do so," said Nintendo in a statement. "We will ramp up production for the holiday period, which has been factored into our forecast."
Before the console even launch, Nintendo was touting its ability to deliver enough consoles to meet demand. "I know, because I read the boards and I read the comments, that there is concern about supply. From what I’ve read, the concern seems to stem from the lack of ability to buy NES Classic," said Fils-Aime in January. "So, what I would say is this: Two million for essentially the first month is a huge number, especially when you look and see that this is not peak seasonality. This is essentially the first three weeks of March Our focus is making sure that the consumer who wants to buy a Nintendo Switch can buy a Nintendo Switch."
Given Nintendo's track record, we don't think you should hold your breath with when it comes to easily finding a Switch between now and Christmas.