Customers form a long line to buy Nintendo Co.'s new Switch game console at an electronics wholesaler shop in Toshima Ward, Tokyo on March 3, 2017. Nintendo has kicked off the game console overe 3,000 stores across Japan with a price 29,980 Japanese yen. ( The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images )
Japanese consumers who have always wanted to purchase a Nintendo Switch are starting to get tired of the long Switch lottery lines and persistent shortages that have lasted for more than 5 months.
According to Nifty News, Bic Camera and Yodobashi stores in Akihabara received their biggest shipment of Switch units on August 26 – 1000 sets of Nintendo Switch. Customers who were waiting in line outside these retailers were rejoicing, but on social networks such as Twitter, many reacted to the news with anger and disappointment.
One user commented “After seeing the long lines, I gave up buying (a Nintendo Switch) at the retail store. I couldn’t even pre-order a set online (from My Nintendo Store), I’m about halfway in giving up.”
More users began to chime in with similar feelings on the situation. “Up till now I haven’t been able to buy a Switch, turns out I don’t want to buy one anymore”, “Couldn’t buy a Switch up till today, guess I don’t need it forever”, “All I want to do is to game on the Switch, why couldn’t I even buy one?!”, “Why do we have to suffer like this?”
Not everyone is feeling pessimistic about the shortages. A Japanese family treated the weekly Switch lotteries like a family excursion, even though they haven’t been able to secure a Switch until now.
To remedy the shortages, Nintendo told consumers in Japan they will ramp up production and send more units to the Japanese market beginning in Fall 2017.
Nintendo’s online store, My Nintendo Store, started taking pre-orders for customizable Nintendo Switch sets on August 22 which are estimated to ship out in October. The problem is pre-orders are sold out very quickly everyday and it is extremely difficult to access the website due to high traffic.
Are you also facing difficulties in purchasing a Nintendo Switch in your country? Let us know in the comments.
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View Comments
Come SG and buy, excessive units everywhere. But its twice as costly here.
Wah!!!
I would think the lack of games has more to do with this than the supplies of Switch.
Yes, that's one side to it. And I can't see Nintendo keeping it going with its own games and third-party games.
Fair enough, there is a shortage worldwide, but how do we know Nintendo isn't doing this on purpose? Take it easy with production to stir the hype. Nintendo did this with the Wii in Europe. For well over 6 months, Nintendo stock pilled the Wii in Germany (Nintendo of Europe HQ). Still, not a chance is the Switch ever going to hit big numbers. That'll only happen at the 3DS price point of under £200.
Clickbait article.
A few guys expressing dissapointment on social media doesn´t mean anything.
Despite the shortages, the Switch is still selling much better than any other console in Japan, as Media Create, Dengeki and other charts show every week
Of course it's selling, it's doing very well.. we've reported a dozen times how amazing the Switch is selling in Japan.
People are just getting tired waiting in the Switch lottery line for a chance to buy the system, and they're venting their anger out.
Imagine lining up every Saturday morning under the hot sun for 2 to 3 hours, and you're just plain unlucky you haven't got a winning number in the past 3 to 5 months.
Online pre-orders don't work either since they run out in 2 minutes or even a few seconds... and you've no idea when they comes up. That's the frustration many are feeling.
Most of us are fortunate since we don't have to experience what they're going through.
I'm pretty sure those venting their frustrations will still eventually get a Switch once the dust settles.