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Kotaku: Japan's Nintendo Switch Lines Are Hell
- Thread starter GregLombardi
- Start date
boiled goose
good with gravy
Someone should propose this brilliant business strategy at their company board meeting.
Jon Carter
Member
I keep seeing posts like this from Australians. Japan is a huge market and Australia a tiny one. If you took all that Australian stock and sent it to Japan, it would be a blip on the radar. What looks like "plenty" in Australia would be gone in a flash in a market the size of Japan.
kitchenmotors
Banned
This isnt true. Multiple opportunities because you visit a gaming board and are alerted of stock? Yeah, so is everyone else and that shit is sold out soon after.
They sell out in stores too, I would say that is hard to come by and supply constrained.
I also live in Chicagoland area and never see them in stores, outside of a unit here or there at Target.
I gave up and bought one on Yahoo Auctions before launch. It was roughly a $60 USD markup, but considering I have a Switch and have enjoyed it immensely thus far, I don't feel too bad.
I was able to score a cheap Pro Controller at a local Toys-R-Us. So it would seem there aren't really any constraints on accessories out here.
I was able to score a cheap Pro Controller at a local Toys-R-Us. So it would seem there aren't really any constraints on accessories out here.
kitchenmotors
Banned
Actually, colored Joy cons are pretty supply constrained. Everything else is in decent supply.
Around launch it was all about those unsold Finnish Switches, now it's the Australian ones.
Thebullfrog
Member
I work for Best Buy in Chicagoland, and I still never see the things in stock. It's fun looking at the stock numbers for the district (basically all of N. Illinois/Chicago) and seeing that there is exactly 1 Switch in stock for the entire region at one store in Chicago.
kitchenmotors
Banned
Yeah, exactly. I did the launch at Best Buy at Midnight. Only time Ive ever seen more than 2 units at one place. You actually had an opportunity to get one if you did a midnight launch at a Best Buy, they had huge stock numbers here for ours. Now it seems the best bet is to do instock alerts on Amazon.
Thebullfrog
Member
We do get them in waves. At one point a couple weeks ago Schaumburg I think had something like 20 of the things. They weren't there long. My store had 2 last week, I found out when a coworker bought the grey one, and I aint about that asymmetrical neon life, so decided to keep waiting. No idea when more are showing up, last I looked the warehouse didn't even have any to send to any stores.
AdventureRacing
Member
This is entirely dependent on how much Nintendo is able to ship.
Megatron
Member
What The Forest Taught Me
Member
Nintendo's most vital market is the Americas.
MegaManTrigger
Banned
Sometime year 2 IMO. It would ultimately depend on when the NAND shortages are taken care of (related to Toshiba facing issues + other companies taking up the mantle of producing more NAND chips).
And_Gignac
Member
Nintendo isn't creating any good will for them tbh.
This is a critical point for them as hardware manufacturers.
Coming off a massive flop like the Wii U, and now they are artificially flopping for being insecure about their product. Hopefully the momentum doesn't fade away once they put their shit together.
Demand won't be there forever just waiting.
This is a critical point for them as hardware manufacturers.
Coming off a massive flop like the Wii U, and now they are artificially flopping for being insecure about their product. Hopefully the momentum doesn't fade away once they put their shit together.
Demand won't be there forever just waiting.
encephalon
Member
I have a feeling i could find one here in Fukushima if I wanted to. But i haven't looked yet. Maybe I'll take a peek today.
It is not like they can go to the factory an be like "Hey, we need 10 million more next months."
OrbitalBeard
Member
Probably early to mid 2018.
Americans buy xbox...
//DEVIL//
Member
lol
True, but I suspect there are ways you can scale up a supply chain quicker than Nintendo seems to manage it.
Funny thing right now its still mostly hardcore fans and gamers that want the thing...and its frigging July. If by fall they start doing the bundles like the MK8/Switch one, have games like Fifa/Skyrim/Rocket Leage/Minecraft-Retail as well as the VoD apps ala Netflix/Amazon out the "mainstream" will really start going after the system.
So yeah the shortages wont end anytime soon. This is supposed to be by far the slowest period of the year. Holidays will be brutal.
So yeah the shortages wont end anytime soon. This is supposed to be by far the slowest period of the year. Holidays will be brutal.
This is pretty nuts. Hindsight and all, and it is pretty easy to point the finger and blame Nintendo now, but I remember the internet singing a totally different tune back in January. With the the flop the was the Wii U, the doom-saying surrounding the Switch after it's reveal, it is hard to blame Nintendo going conservative on the Switchs' initial production.
The rest is coulda, woulda, shoulda, but I highly doubt many here would have done anything different with your company coming off an all time low with revenue, mind share, and just over all good faith toward the company. The industry seeming wants you gone (go 3rd party please, and go mobile please talk had to really take a toll after awhile). All Nintendo can do is, really, is prep for the Holidays. Production is something that cannot be whipped up over a few short months.
The rest is coulda, woulda, shoulda, but I highly doubt many here would have done anything different with your company coming off an all time low with revenue, mind share, and just over all good faith toward the company. The industry seeming wants you gone (go 3rd party please, and go mobile please talk had to really take a toll after awhile). All Nintendo can do is, really, is prep for the Holidays. Production is something that cannot be whipped up over a few short months.
ArchedThunder
Banned
No, there isn't. There aren't enough NAND chips to go around right now.
Hunde demand isn't bad at all. Excess demand at this level is pretty bad.
Handheld wise it is Japan, easily.
People need to go work for Nintendo and show them how it's done lol
Was going to post this. With the competition going on with this chips, Nintendo is a minnow in an ocean full of sharks. They will get eaten right up with deals get thrown on the table; even if Nintendo starts bidding high for production time.
No one out bids Apple. Next in line is Samsung. I'm sure there are a few others that can throw more money than Nintendo can afford.
It is just the way it is. Nintendo has to settle for scraps, unfortunately.
And then they are selling at double price making huge proofits while seemingly keeping the console price low.
My guess would be February or March of next year. That assumes Nintendo doesn't have any crazy releases planned for the first part of the year. Demand is high, but I don't think it's at 2007 Wii levels. Switch has not become a cultural phenomenon, at least not yet.
HawthorneKitty
Sgt. 2nd Class in the Creep Battalion, Waifu Wars
As an American who can't find one.
ThatRandomCliff
Member
The other day I saw 2 at Target, then a few mintues later two family with kids came and bought them. The kids were very excited.
Annoying Old Party Man
Member
People seem to have forgotten that especially after the January event, there was a negative sentiment about the Switch - about the price, the features, and the games.
Nintendo was right to be conservative with their estimations.
Nintendo was right to be conservative with their estimations.
Not just from fans/gamers....look at the launch lineup - Bomberman being one of the big 3rdParty hitters said it all.
fredrancour
Member
Yeah the Jan event made it look like "Wiiu but fully portable this time!" and I cant' fault them for being cautious on producing something with that pitch.
Amazon Japan ships to America. I'd be shocked if Amazon US doesn't do the same.
Switch is downright abundant stateside, compared to the NES Mini (and likely the SNES Classic).
Figured importers would be jumping at the chance to fill that demand.
Is it really? Here in Switzerland it's still impossible to find one, my friends are going to miss out on Splatoon 2 launch due to the low supply.
True, I think WoG only has them back in stock next month? Or has it been pushed back again? The situation here is really bad.
I think the best bet is to try and buy the Splatoon set.
Yup, that's exactly what they told one of my friends. Media Markt told another one they're getting small shipments every 2 weeks (at least in Basel that is)
Same in Germany. In every store that gets a new batch, it's sold out in less than two hours. I spotted a stock once in Media Markt in Düsseldorf, even held the grey unit in my hand for few minutes thinking about actually purchasing it. But the time has not yet come. If I could grab one in Japan for almost 100 cheaper, that would be another story.
Vampirolol
Member
Meanwhile here in Italy you could trip on a mountain of neon switches.
GiantBreadbug
Member
I think this is just a Tokyo/crazy populated area problem (as far as Japan goes)? I was staying with a friend in Tokyo when the Switch launched and could find no preorders in stores, but was lucky to get an Amazon preorder from a GAFer. I was able to get a copy of Zelda physically in Shinjuku at Bic the next day tho.
But I've since moved to Fukushima City which I'd say straddles the line well between semi-rural and semi-urban, and the Bic x Kojima I frequent doesn't seem to have stock problems. I go there pretty much every time a game comes out and they've had a couple of Switches each time. I'm pretty sure they're being bought and not just sitting there.
I'm planning on getting Spla2n, the inky Joy Cons and an inky Pro this Friday, but honestly I'm really considering getting a console bundle with the Joy Cons if they have it to use as a gift since it's a nice bundle. The whole stock situation here could totally change post Spla2n haha.
But I've since moved to Fukushima City which I'd say straddles the line well between semi-rural and semi-urban, and the Bic x Kojima I frequent doesn't seem to have stock problems. I go there pretty much every time a game comes out and they've had a couple of Switches each time. I'm pretty sure they're being bought and not just sitting there.
I'm planning on getting Spla2n, the inky Joy Cons and an inky Pro this Friday, but honestly I'm really considering getting a console bundle with the Joy Cons if they have it to use as a gift since it's a nice bundle. The whole stock situation here could totally change post Spla2n haha.
Bedameister
Member
Yeah, they should stop supplying Europe and help those poor people in Japan. I feel bad for them.
Parakeetman
No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
Buyers would just be fucking themselves over as for the most part if any service is needed of a product that is not made for sale within japan the company is within its rights to refuse servicing it.
So in short people would be SOL with getting repairs if anything breaks on their imported unit.
People dont need to import as its possible to get units just not at the standard retail price. Generally a 100-200 usd markup.