If there is one problem which companies are probably okay with having is that the public wants their product too much. Nintendo has firmly put the underperforming WII U behind them, as the Switch has sold well since its release.
If anything, it is performing too well, as the Japanese company is struggling to keep up with the demand. With the holiday period around the corner and the release of one of the biggest games of the year in "Super Mario Odyssey," customers might find themselves willing but not able to get their handles on the new hybrid console.
Manufacturing
Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's president, sat down for a quick discussion with "The Financial Times" and hinted at some of the production issues Nintendo has been facing.
After being questioned on whether the shortage might be due to parts needed from external suppliers, the charismatic president confirmed that "there are multiple choke points" but refused to go into any further details.
When asked about the holiday season, Reggie confirmed that millions of units are being produced, but it is impossible to know exactly how large of a demand there will be for the Nintendo Switch. Deciding not to guarantee anything, he admits "there is a potential that demand is going to outstrip supply."
What should we do?
This is a rather difficult situation, as the Switch is still short on games and not the easiest product to recommend.
As we get closer to the holiday season, which might see a sale or two, the release of "Super Mario Odyssey" greatly enhances its appeal.
Unfortunately, this could very well mean that finding a new console around that time will be extremely hard. It is already difficult, and there is barely any games scheduled to be released this month.
If someone is interested in buying the Nintendo Switch but has been holding off until the new "Mario" game is released, it might be best to pick up the console if it happens to be available. Although sales are common around Christmas, it is unlikely there will be much of a price cut, if any at all. Buying it second hand will only get more expensive the closer we get to Christmas, especially if it becomes obvious that supply will not be able to keep up with the demand.
In Japan, the Switch continues to outsell its competition and is performing well in America and Europe. Considering only one game which can be considered a system seller has been released, the console has performed extremely well.
