Nintendo Switch Stock Shortages Not a Problem in the UK
By Jasmine Henry 24 February 2017
Those planning to buy a Nintendo Switch in the United Kingdom need not fear from stock shortages at launch, says Nintendo. In an interview with MCV UK, Nintendo UK general manager Nicolas Wegnez says that although pre-orders for the company’s upcoming games console have been “very strong,” Nintendo still expects that there will still be Nintendo Switch stock “available at some retailers on Day One.”
The Nintendo executive also reveals that the company expects shipments of the new console to “steadily come.” Wegnez adds that “this is not a sprint, but a marathon which is why we are so busy preparing strong plans for the months to come following the launch.”
For those in the UK who are currently undecided about whether or not to buy the console and have yet to be won over by the Nintendo Switch launch lineup, this is fantastic news. If they do choose to pick up a Switch after all, either on the day of release or not longer after (before retailers have had a chance to replenish their stock) it sounds as though they will still have that opportunity.
However, this confirmation from the Nintendo UK general manager doesn’t necessarily mean that Nintendo fans in other parts of the world should jump for joy. Although rumors of Nintendo Switch pre-orders being cancelled by North American retailers GameStop and Target were refuted, these retailers (and others) have seen unprecedented demand for the console. In Japan, for example, 80% of the initial shipment of Nintendo Switch consoles had been pre-ordered, leaving no room for those who hadn’t registered their interest up front.
Moreover, Nintendo has said that it only expected to sell 2 million Nintendo Switch units at launch. The company has since said that it planned to up production of the console, having taken the astounding pre-order figures into account, but it hasn’t explicitly stated how many more Switch units are being made and where they will be made available worldwide.
At the very least, the lack of clarity means that even if there are extra Nintendo Switch units available at launch, fans across the globe may be confused or just unsure about how to get their hands on one. Fingers crossed that Nintendo offers similar stock assurances about other Nintendo Switch launch regions soon.
The Nintendo Switch will be released on March 3, 2017.
