The hard-to-find NES Classic Edition will be even harder to find now that Nintendo of America has decided to kill the beloved retro console. The move has taken everyone by surprise especially those who have yet to get their hands on the NES Classic Mini and everyone is wondering why the company arrived at that decision. While Nintendo did not offer any explanation for this baffling move, there are some speculations already making the rounds.
IGN received a statement saying that NOA territories will get the final shipments of the NES Classic Edition this April. Nintendo also issued an apology for the decision and for the fact that the company has failed to deliver on its promise to meet the high demand for the device.
Nintendo admitted that it miscalculated the demand for the NES Classic by a wide margin. They also said that one reason why the company was having a hard time coping with the demand is that some of the components were difficult to procure. This is one of the more logical reasons why Nintendo killed the retro console. There just weren't enough parts to make them.
Another popular theory is that Nintendo despised piracy and did not appreciate how the NES Classic Edition was manhandled by hackers and modders. Nintendo expected the device to be hacked which is evident with the secret message the company placed in the retro console for hackers to find. Polygon figured that Nintendo losing control of its own product was enough for it to give up on the NES Classic completely. However, it is questionable that Nintendo is only making this move now when the numerous hacks have been around for some time now.
Probably the gossip that makes the most sense is that Nintendo wasn't getting enough profit from the NES Classic Edition. It makes sense to stop supporting a product if it's not helping the business make money. While the NES Classic remains a popular device, it's probably giving the company more headaches than profit.
Some speculate that a licensing issue is behind the discontinuation of the NES Classic Edition. The gaming company pre-installed only 30 games in the console and some of those games weren't Nintendo first-party releases. It is unlikely though that the company failed to smooth out all the details before releasing the console.
Lastly, there must be a new console or at least a redesigned NES Classic Edition coming. It is also possible that a new NES Classic with a different selection of games will be released. There's also the probability of a retro SNES on the horizon.
News of the NES Classic Edition being discontinued first surfaced in February after the Nintendo's Nordic distributor told its retailers that they will receive a few more shipments before the stock completely "dries up". Nintendo of Europe denied the rumors back then but it seems like the company is eating their words right now.
