People Are Already Frustrated At Nintendo For Their Lack Of Stock For The NES Classic

If you tried to pick up an NES Classic upon its release on Friday, you were likely greeted with some horrible news. From physical stores like Target and Gamestop to the digital shops like Amazon, people found that stocks were low and most of the nostalgic Nintendo consoles were sold out.
According to TechCrunch, thousands of shoppers attempted to order a copy from Amazon when they went on sale at 2pm PST Friday, but were denied. The same happened to some when they ventured outside, finding that stocks were limited and already sold to folks who waited in the wee hours of the morning.

https://twitter.com/mmmelimel/status/797200308027949057

You could always pick one up on eBay if you really needed to buy one, but the prices were going far higher than the $60 price with retailers. At a quick glance, some of the consoles are currently on sale for as much as $159.99, with some even pushing higher to $400. That’s insane for something that is essentially an emulator with ROMs in a pretty package, but it is also apparently a look at Nintendo’s practices with their items and the demand behind them according to Ryan McCaffrey over at IGN :

I woke up early to go to these stores because despite the fact that this is 2016 and shopping online is a dominant, expected way to purchase items, Nintendo refused to take pre-orders on the NES Classic in North America. Nevermind that this would’ve been an easy way for the company to gauge demand and adjust their manufacturing accordingly, not to mention letting a whole lot more people actually get the product they want…

Nintendo fans continue to be among the most loyal in the industry, year after year and product after product. And yet, year after year and product after product, Nintendo continues to make it difficult for their fans to buy their products because…why? To generate buzz? To drive up grey-market prices? To test the limits of their loyalty? Or is it all somehow unintentional (which is perhaps a more terrifying proposition for Nintendo shareholders)? This has happened with consoles, handhelds, and Amiibo – virtually everything physical that Nintendo makes, and it’s as archaic as it is unnecessary.?

McCaffrey continued his criticism on Twitter, but he was also joined by a few others who dislike Nintendo’s practices:

https://twitter.com/Chris_Stuckmann/status/797278725490544641

This type of criticism and the quick sales of the NES Classic forced Nintendo of America to address consumer concerns on Twitter, asking gamers for patience into the holiday season when it comes to their new nostalgia trap.

This did nothing to sway some folks, though, which you can see in one of the replies below.

https://twitter.com/djoyce03/status/797274599184482306

When it comes to first glance, this type of backlash is confusing. Many of the games offered are at least 30 years old, easily found online, or at least offered on other services through Nintendo. There’s not a shortage of ways to play these Nintendo games despite the shortage of mini-consoles in stores and online. It is unfortunate that the supply upon initial release is low, but it is also not a reason to claim that an entire company is bad at economics all of the sudden. It isn’t ideal, but it also seems to work. Apple seems to have success with similar offerings each year.

https://twitter.com/NintendoTweet/status/797316929543254016

At least some folks decided to have some fun with it and point out that it’s just games at the end of the day. There’s no reason to rush out and pay some person hundreds of dollars on eBay when patience is free.

https://twitter.com/pattymo/status/797166012688842753

https://twitter.com/RonFunches/status/797250621145366532

At least you can all call into the Power Line and express your displeasure with Nintendo. Or maybe find out how to finally beat Mike Tyson in Punch-Out. I mean finally beat Mr. Dream. Who is this Mike Tyson fellow?

(Via Tech Crunch / IGN)