Nintendo has conceded that it won’t have enough Switch stock to meet demand during the holiday season, which falls between November and December.
The company said that production continues to be hindered by the global semiconductor shortage, which has also made it difficult to find PS5 and Xbox Series X in stock.
In a press briefing following Nintendo’s second-quarter results (thanks, Reuters), president Shuntaro Furukawa said that the supply issues will continue to drag on for the foreseeable future and that the ongoing global chip shortage is showing no signs of improvement.
“We can’t produce enough [Nintendo Switch hardware] to meet the demand we are expecting during the upcoming holiday season,” Furukawa-san said. “Currently there is no sign of improvement and the situation continues to be severe so I can’t say how long it will continue.”
Nintendo’s warning means that waiting for the best Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals may no longer be a sensible option if you’re after the console itself. If you definitely want to have a Nintendo Switch in time for Christmas, we’d advise picking one up sooner rather than later to avoid any upset.
Analysis: it might be worth buying a Switch before Black Friday
Nintendo’s portable console remains a popular choice with consumers. The company recently released the Nintendo Switch OLED, which we deemed to be “the best Switch ever made” in our review, but it probably isn’t worth upgrading to unless you’re a first-time buyer.
Nintendo has adjusted its future sales forecast accordingly and has cut 6% off its original target of 25.5 million units, conceding it may only produce around 24 million units because of the chip shortage. It means Switch production is set to drop by 20%.
Nintendo’s software is ultimately the reason why demand remains extremely high for the Switch, even though the hardware is approaching its fifth year on sale. Games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and the upcoming Breath of the Wild 2 means that the console remains an attractive proposition to prospective buyers. We've rounded up the 10 best-selling Switch games you should buy on Black Friday.
The Switch also has wider appeal outside of traditional gaming due to titles like Ring Fit Adventure and Nintendo Labo, which tap into the home exercise and hobbyist market, and there are now three models to choose from: the original Nintendo Switch, the portable-only Nintendo Switch Lite, and the more premium-focused Nintendo Switch OLED.
Nintendo also recently released a new tier to its online subscription service, the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. While the service has been criticized for its high price and a few teething issues, the service lets Switch owners play N64 and Sega Genesis games. It also includes Animal Crossing: Horizons' new DLC, Happy Home Paradise, for subscribers to download.
We’ll be rounding up all the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals during November, and while we’re confident that discounts on Switch games and accessories will be in plentiful supply, we sadly can’t say the same about the console itself.
- Nintendo Switch OLED vs Nintendo Switch: what's the difference?
