Nintendo finished 2016 with a bang, thanks to the release and continuing popularity of global mobile game phenomenon Pokémon GO, the arrival of the NES Classic Edition in November, and the official launch of Super Mario Run for Apple devices in mid-December.
Main reason for Nintendo's breakout year
Diehard Pokémon and Mario fans may or may not agree, but probably the most interesting among the three was, without any doubt, the miniature replica NES Classic. Not only did it generate a ton of buzzing hype during the holidays due to its rarity and difficulty to acquire one, but it has set the stage for what will hopefully be an upcoming series of more nostalgia-inducing follow-ups modeled after Nintendo's other popular consoles.
But before we get too excited about the future of retro gaming, let's consider what Nintendo did and didn't do well with the NES Classic Edition.
Scarcity of the NES Classic
There has been no doubt that, despite the extreme popularity, the NES Classic is scarce and supply, and has left a lot of fans hanging in the air. Though Nintendo promised a steady flow of additional systems through the holiday season and into the New Year, it has clearly not been enough, as many are still empty-handed.
The company did technically keep its word by sending additional units to retailers, but overall, Nintendo came nowhere close to meeting the huge demand.
Did Nintendo do it on purpose?
Some people strongly believing that Nintendo intentionally withheld stocks in order to drive up the perception of demand. While this strategy is certainly plausible, it still brings negativity in the process since it potentially annoyed a lot of fans.
Will Nintendo restock the NES Classic?
As of now, it has been revealed that Nintendo is in the works for developing an upcoming SNES Console intended for this year's holiday season. With that being in line, along with the upcoming release of the Nintendo Switch, it seems like the NES Classic would again be left out-of-stock until Nintendo clears out its agendas.
