SNES Classic Pre-Orders "Outside Our Control" Says Nintendo Exec, Promising More Supply

The pre-order situation for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Classic Edition has been less than great in the United States. Pre-orders have gone up at odd times, the stock has been rather low, pre-orders have been cancelled and shifted around, and some stores aren't pre-ordering at all. Part of the frenzy feeding into this issue was Nintendo's handling of the NES Classic Edition. The mini-console was exceedingly rare at retail and then Nintendo simply discontinued it.

Well, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has promised that the SNES Classic Edition will not fall into the same mire. On the pre-order issues, Fils-Aime told the Financial Times they were "outside our control".

"I would strongly urge you not to over-bid on an SNES Classic on any of the auction sites," he told the outlet. "You shouldn't [have to] pay more than $79.99."

Fils-Aime added that the NES Classic production stock was based on the company looking at previous retro-consoles on the market and assuming their sales would come in around the same spot. The $80 price tag for the SNES Classic also had a specific reason: to keep the mini-console's price below any of Nintendo's "official" offerings, like the 3DS.

Fils-Aime also tackled Nintendo Switch stock, with regions like Japan remaining supply constrained. He admitted there were supply choke points in the Switch manufacturing process.

"There is not one choke point, there are multiple choke points. I won't go into any more detail but it's not just one component. I'm going to make millions of these units to flow into the marketplace," said Fils-Aime. "But what I don't know is what the demand is going to be. And there is a potential that demand is going to outstrip supply."

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Classic Edition will be launching on September 29, 2017.