Many around the world have been staying home in recent times, with the COVID-19 pandemic meaning that various lockdown measures have been implemented in severely affected countries. And with little to do at home during weekends and downtime, many have put more hours into home-based activities, including video games. In fact we recently saw the popularity of a certain Nintendo Switch game rise in popularity—Ring Fit Adventure is a game that helps gamers to get some physical exercise while standing/jumping in front of the TV.
But it turns out that gamers in Japan who are looking to pick up Nintendo’s critically acclaimed portable console will have to wait a little longer. According to Nikkei Asian Review, Nintendo is halting all shipments of the Switch to Japan, with COVID-19-related supply chain issues affecting production for the region.
This isn’t the most unexpected of news, however. Nintendo was already reportedly facing supply issues back in February, with factories based in Vietnam affected by a shortage in components from China. It was believed then that the issues would affect supply of the Switch to the U.S. and Japan—and now, it appears that Nintendo have not found a way around it.
That said, Nikkei reports that shipments will continue as normal for American and European markets, with inventory still sufficient to handle the demand in those markets. As for the shortage in Japan, there has been no concrete time frame given for the resumption of shipments.
According to a recent quarterly report, Nintendo has sold over 52 million consoles since the launch back in 2017—including Nintendo Switch lite consoles and the enhanced battery Switch. Additionally, it also appears that the Switch has continued to rise in popularity despite the current COVID-19 pandemic. One possible reason for that is the launch of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, along with a special themed version of the Switch.
Still, the issue here isn’t about the popularity of the console; rather, it offers yet another example of how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected various industries around the world. It could also be argued that lockdown measures are responsible for a surge in demand for the Switch, which a source from Nintendo reportedly explaining that the company has not been able to keep up the supply to meet the growing demand.
As a result, scalpers (those who stockpile certain products in high demand with a view to selling them at a profit) have apparently been taking advantage of the situation. In certain regions, resellers have been selling the Nintendo Switch console for significant premiums—opportunistic or cynical? That depends on how you look at it. For now, as the world continues to fight against the coronavirus pandemic, perhaps the appeal of a portable console is higher than ever before.
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