With the recently-concluded Nintendo event, which featured their upcoming hybrid console, there really is no doubt that the Nintendo Switch is pretty fantastic. But after watching the Nintendo event via live stream and playing around with the new console, most enthusiasts, and the media had questions, especially with regards to the console's production number.
Fortunately, Nintendo of America President and Chief operating Officer Reggie Fils-Aime was there to make things clear.
Nintendo's production for the Switch
Nintendo didn't produce enough NES Classic systems into the market, which made people question if they would also do the same to the Nintendo Switch. When asked about what he foresees in terms of the number of Nintendo Switch consoles that Nintendo will be able to release in 2017, here's what Fils-Aime had to say:
According to him, "What we've made clear publicly is that there will be about 2 million units that will be shipped worldwide for the upcoming March 3 launch, essentially through the first month."
2 million units for the first month
Fils-Aime has read the boards and read the comments about the growing concern regarding supply. From what he read, the concern seems to root from the lack of ability to buy the NES Classic.
So this is what he had to say to cut the tension: two million units for the first month. That alone is already a huge number, especially when you consider that this is not yet peak seasonality.
2 million units just for the first three weeks of March. Fils-Aime and Nintendo are making sure that the consumer who wants to buy a Nintendo Switch can definitely buy a Nintendo Switch.
"That's how we build our supply chain, that's how we think through the amount of product that's available," Fils-Aime added.
No shortages for the Switch
What happened with the NES Classic was a situation where the global demand was anything that Nintendo had anticipated, which was what created shortages. The good news now is that the company is making sure that there will be no complaints whatsoever regarding shortages with the Nintendo Switch once it officially rolls out.
