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Did Nintendo discontinue New 3DS XL hardware?

P

Persona7

Banned
I was talking with a gamestop employee today and Nintendo seems to not be shipping out any standard New 3DS XL hardware. I noticed this months ago but I am surprised to hear that it is still the case. The last shipment received at that gamestop was in early November. Since then they have only received limited amounts of 2DS units.

Amazon and other sites have also been sold out almost this entire period and the only incoming stock seem to be that limited pikachu 3DS model. Target and Toys R Us have also not been in stock for months.

What is going on?
 
N

NMFried

Member
Could be due for a SKU refresh? They have a solid lineup of games on the way. No doubt they'd want to supplement those with consoles to buy.
 
J

James Scott

Banned
That's the most expensive one and the one thats seemingly selling best. Don't imagine it's been discontinued.
3DS has been selling a lot since Pokémon came out so maybe it's related to that
 
E

enigmatic_alex44

Whenever a game uses "middleware," I expect mediocrity. Just see how poor TLOU looks.
Didn't they say they are supporting the 3DS until at least 2018 and possibly beyond on the tiny off chance the Switch flops?
 
W

womp

Member
My local Target just had three Galaxy models in stock this weekend and GameStop's website also had them available for online order as well last week.

They are trickling out there again.
 
P

Persona7

Banned
NMFried said:
Could be due for a SKU refresh? They have a solid lineup of games on the way. No doubt they'd want to supplement those with consoles to buy.
Click to expand...

Possibly but I would think they would not want to go four months without units on shelves. We were talking about the lack of units available for the entire month of December. Apparently the Pokemon rush the month before wiped out all the stock of new units at that gamestop so they basically only had used units available for the entire month. Something else is going on.
 
N

NMFried

Member
Persona7 said:
Possibly but I would think they would not want to go four months without units on shelves. We were talking about the lack of units available for the entire month of December. Apparently the Pokemon rush the month before wiped out all the stock of new units at that gamestop so they basically only had used units available for the entire month. Something else is going on.
Click to expand...

Maybe they just didn't produce enough? I think you are probably on to something, but Nintendo also had issues and still has issues with NES Classic stock. My theory is that they were prioritizing Switch production, so we'll have a gap from 3DS and NES Classic.

Or they're just making us thirsty af.
 
E

enigmatic_alex44

Whenever a game uses "middleware," I expect mediocrity. Just see how poor TLOU looks.
Phatcorns said:
I find this whole 3DS XL supply thing totally bizarre. What in the hell is going on?
Click to expand...

They might be constraining supply for now so that people buy a Switch instead. Make it their only option in March. Not sure if Nintendo would be that shady though...
 
D

dafodeu

Member
I was in my local Target yesterday they had 2 new 3ds xl galaxy version in the case and 10 2ds systems. Most stores are getting the Pikachu 3ds xl Friday.
 
SinCityAssassin

SinCityAssassin

Member
Could just be gamestop not knowing when their restock comes in. I had to go to walmart for errands today and they had a few units like normal.
 
Kagoshima_Luke

Kagoshima_Luke

Gold Member
I've noticed this as well. Was gonna trade in my XL for a New normal, but the lack of stock made me back off. Not risking a "surprise! We aren't making any more 3DS hardware" situation. I simply don't trust NoA at all.
 
W

womp

Member
There is also the theory that Nintendo held back stock due to getting the latest 11.3 firmware on them as 11.2 and below was easily hackable out of the box. 11.3 closed up a bunch of exploits.
 
P

Persona7

Banned
womp said:
My local Target just had three Galaxy models in stock this weekend and GameStop's website also had them available for online order as well last week.

They are trickling out there again.
Click to expand...

I am looking at Target now and no store within 100 miles has stock of any regular model. Same with best buy, gamestop and Toys R Us.

SinCityAssassin said:
Could just be gamestop not knowing when their restock comes in. I had to go to walmart for errands today and they had a few units like normal.
Click to expand...

I don't think so. I know the employee and they have been a manager at that store for a few years.
 
H

Hattori

Banned
the scarcity is why I'm jumping on that Pikachu 3DS, I already have an regular animal crossing n3ds but I want an XL for comfort
 
B

bigkrev

Member
Here is a weird thing- I was in 2 Targets today, and both had 1 of the Limited Purple N3DSXL that they didn't have earlier in the week
 
E

enigmatic_alex44

Whenever a game uses "middleware," I expect mediocrity. Just see how poor TLOU looks.
Timeless said:
Welcome to Nintendo. They've been doing this forever.
Click to expand...

Are you referring to the NES Classic? I still haven't found one lol but I figured it's because the Wii U's failure had them terrified to produce too many.
 
P

Persona7

Banned
bigkrev said:
Here is a weird thing- I was in 2 Targets today, and both had 1 of the Limited Purple N3DSXL that they didn't have earlier in the week
Click to expand...

Looking on other sites I am seeing similar reports of one or two units randomly appearing. A stock tracking site also shows a bunch of rapid in stock and out of stock alerts in the past week. Some stock only lasting 2-4 minutes. Maybe it is some manufacturing or distribution issue related to the switch and NES classic.

Megatron said:
There's a brand new 3ds (pikachu) coming out next week. How on earth does that equal 'discontinued'?

http://www.gamestop.com/nintendo-3d...-3ds-xl-pokemon-pikachu-yellow-edition/141888
Click to expand...

Special editions tend to be one off limited models. That doesn't explain the lack of new regular models since November.
 
M

Malice215

Member
I've seen Targets and Walmarts restocked with Galaxy XLs and 2DS systems, and the Pikachu XL is about to drop. I haven't seen a regular n3DS since November.

Snag one now while they're still available.
 
Spukc

Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
Nintendo 3ds xl is doomed
They allready stopped making the nes mini.
And stopped making the wii u.

ITS ALL TRUE!!

Nintendo is dooooomed

day 1 switch ♡♡♡
 
W

womp

Member
Persona7 said:
I am looking at Target now and no store within 100 miles has stock of any regular model. Same with best buy, gamestop and Toys R Us.



I don't think so. I know the employee and they have been a manager at that store for a few years.
Click to expand...

Right, even the one I was at this weekend that I saw three of in the display case, looking online at that store now says out of stock. They sold them already. LOL

I already own a red N3DS XL, my wife has her Animal Crossing XL, son has his 2DS but I also have four 2DS's new in the box packed away for a rainy day. I was tempted to snag a Galaxy XL when I saw it however I couldn't justify another $200 towards it.
 
ArtHands

ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
They have been selling out at a very fast rate once the new stocks hit shelves
 
Megatron

Megatron

Member
Persona7 said:
Looking on other sites I am seeing similar reports of one or two units randomly appearing. A stock tracking site also shows a bunch of rapid in stock and out of stock alerts in the past week. Some stock only lasting 2-4 minutes. Maybe it is some manufacturing or distribution issue related to the switch and NES classic.



Special editions tend to be one off limited models. That doesn't explain the lack of new regular models since November.
Click to expand...

It's February, a lot of stores do their end of the fiscal years around now, and that entails taking inventory and holding off on ordering as much replacement inventory. Typically stock of everything is lower for a couple months after Christmas.
 
C

Crazy Diamond

Member
For what it's worth, GameStop.com has New XL units back in stock (the black and red). Their site had been out for at least a couple of weeks, to my knowledge.
 
Flying Toaster

Flying Toaster

Member
I have heard joking rumors of supply restraint coming into stores. Honestly its mostly just drunken Nintendo conspiracy theories. I know the new Pikachu one is coming out.
 
enoki

enoki

Member
Persona7 said:
I was talking with a gamestop employee today and Nintendo seems to not be shipping out any standard New 3DS XL hardware. I noticed this months ago but I am surprised to hear that it is still the case. The last shipment received at that gamestop was in early November. Since then they have only received limited amounts of 2DS units.

Amazon and other sites have also been sold out almost this entire period and the only incoming stock seem to be that limited pikachu 3DS model. Target and Toys R Us have also not been in stock for months.

What is going on?
Click to expand...

The GameStop I work at has been restocked on Galaxy XL's twice over the past month or so. We aren't getting many, but we're getting them.

EDIT: I forgot to mention, we've been restocked on 2DS's fairly frequently. They're gone almost as soon as they come in, though.
 
1

10k

Banned
My local retailers barely have any and it's usually only the black XL. The red seems to be gone along with any special edition ones.
 
F

fernoca

Member
Considering they announced (and released) the Pikachu new 3DS XL.That's a weird way to discontinue hardware.

People also need to stop assuming that something is discontinued every time. Until the company announces it, it is not. :p
 
G

ggx2ac

Member
Nintendo shipped 3.74 million 3DS units worldwide for the 3rd Quarter. They had a 10% increase year-on-year for hardware shipped for the 9 months of the current fiscal year compared to last fiscal year.

They are not discontinuing the 3DS yet... It has games coming out this year. They just aren't manufacturing enough hardware because they didn't expect a huge increase in sales due to the Pokémon Go effect and that the 3DS is near the end of its product life cycle.

With the 3DS near the end of its product life cycle, they are not going to suddenly increase production for it because this 10% increase is not that large and it will be short lived unless another mainline Pokémon game is coming out for 3DS.
 
B

boiled goose

good with gravy
enigmatic_alex44 said:
They might be constraining supply for now so that people buy a Switch instead. Make it their only option in March. Not sure if Nintendo would be that shady though...
Click to expand...

It wouldn't be shady. It would be stupid. Come on people. This Nintendo deliberate supply constraint meme needs to die.

What's probably happening is that they dont want to ramp up production at this stage and supply still catching up from holiday demand.

Nintendo is conservative to a fault with production.
 
Zambayoshi

Zambayoshi

Member
boiled goose said:
It wouldn't be shady. It would be stupid. Come on people. This Nintendo deliberate supply constraint meme needs to die.
Click to expand...

It'll die when Nintendo stops feeding it.

Supply constraint has been a Nintendo trademark for maintaining buzz since the 80s.

From Blake Harris's Console Wars book, paraphrased: "The third pillar to Nintendo's strategy is its rigid system of inventory control, as devised by Peter Main in the late 80s, which purposefully provided retailers with only a fraction of the products they requested in order to create a frenzy for whatever products were available."

Another article of interest:

Where other companies also foundered, Mr. Main said, is in flooding the market with their games. 'Inventory management is absolutely critical to this business,'' he added.

So Mr. Main makes sure that scarcity whets the public's appetite and sustains demand. By design, the company does not fill all of a retailer's order and keeps half or more of its video cartridge library inactive.
Click to expand...

http://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/21/business/the-games-played-for-nintendo-s-sales.html?pagewanted=all
 
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