NINTENDO has only just launched its upgraded Switch model, but it’s already set to be plagued by supply issues.
The Nintendo Switch OLED released this month, just as the original Switch got a price cut in Europe.
While the upgrades are great, it doesn’t offer a drastic amount of new features to warrant splashing out if you already own the OG model.
Nintendo apparently anticipated that the uptick might not be as immediate.
That’s been reflected in the split in production between the new OLED, original, and Switch Lite models.
This comes via a new Bloomberg report that sees the outlet speaking to a source at one of Nintendo’s assembly partners.
But it’s not just the decision to err on the side of caution with production that’s causing problems.
Component shortages – which have been plaguing the PS5, Xbox Series X|S since launch – are also taking their toll.
Since the Nintendo Switch OLED’s launch, retailers in Japan have been selling out – including Nintendo’s own flagship store in Tokyo.
Just as we’ve seen with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in the US and UK, lottery systems are being implemented to offer customers the opportunity to buy one.
One Japanese retailer told Bloomberg that Nintendo Switch OLED stock issues are expected to continue until early 2022.
That puts Nintendo in the same boat as Microsoft and Sony in terms of its new console supply.
There is, however, a plentiful supply of the original Switch and the Switch Lite.
Sales of the two consoles have been tapering off this year. Ace Research Institute analyst Hideki Yasuda told Bloomberg that a price cut could help clear inventory.
But there are no official plans for any further price cuts, with the recent instance only happening thanks to fluctuating currency exchange rates.
The long and short of it is that the new Nintendo Switch OLED model is proving to be more popular than anticipated and components are hard to come by.
If you were on the fence about picking one up, the reality is that you may not have any other choice but to wait if you hold off.
So be sure to make up your mind before the Black Friday and Christmas shopping rush kicks in.
- Read the latest stories for PS5
- Keep up-to-date with all the Xbox news
- Read the latest gaming news
