Within minutes of going on sale, the NES Classic Edition was quickly sold out and the general public was left either waiting or buying overpriced units over eBay. Because of its success, Nintendo promised to restock the same before the holidays hit. And then there is the Nintendo Switch - the future of the company - which is due for release on March 2017.
The main appeal of the NES Classic is that it quenches a nostalgic thirst that is apparently sported by most gamers old enough to feel it. The device, while stellar and notable in its own right, rests mainly on the pretense that it supplies a pressing demand. It provides some of the best retro games, including "Final Fantasy," "The Legend Of Zelda" and "Donkey Kong," in modern resolutions.
Then there is the Nintendo Switch, which is scheduled for release to the market in March 2017. Quite the contrary to the NES, the upcoming device kind of symbolizes the future of the company and gaming in general. While proving what the console can do, the teaser trailer of the device still left plenty to the imagination.
The Nintendo Switch announcement provided the that it was a versatile device. It can be docked and correspondingly played on a television set, but can also be carried around for portable gaming. Even then, one console can be connected to another in order to play within a group. But for friends that do not have their own unit, one can be shared between a number of players as well.
The contrasts are undeniable, but so are their appeals. The Verge notes that the NES Classic Edition is the perfect "commercial" to the Nintendo Switch. The truth is, however, that Nintendo also wanted the public to get excited over its systems again.
"We decided to launch the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition... to provide a chance for fans who didnʼt already own the system to play our past games and share the experience with their children," CEO Tatsumi Kimishima previously told investors. "In addition, we felt that providing a chance to play this system again would rekindle an interest in Nintendoʼs game systems. We are expecting that these consumers will wonder what kind of fun new experiences we will bring to Nintendo Switch and give the new system a try."
It will take some time for the strategy to be proven right or wrong. Forbes notes, however, that the cards are all in favor of Nintendo at this point. Very quickly and almost out of nowhere, the Japanese company is supplying one of the hottest items for the holiday. But the literal shortages of the NES Classic Edition are a cause of concern.
The publication goes on to discuss how stock has always been an issue when it comes to Nintendo hardware. Fans of the company have had to consider relatively drastic measures to get their hands on the company's consoles. And because a restock of the NES Classic has been promised, its own hands might be tied. However, there is still hope that the Nintendo Switch will come in amounts that are acceptable and will not leave a majority of the public with empty hands.
