GameStop has officially exhausted their initial pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch for all of their stores. GoNintendo has reported that the retailer announced Sunday that all 3,900 stores nationwide had exhausted their supplies and that the company was reaching out to secure more. Vice President of Gamestop merchandising Bob Puzon reached out to consumers with the following message...
“We’re working closely with Nintendo to get additional Nintendo Switch units, and will let our customers know when they become available. We encourage customers to visit www.gamestop.com/switch and sign up to be get updates about the product and availability.”
With just under two months until launch, it sounds like promising news for Nintendo that one of the biggest gaming retailers in America would sell out of pre-orders in just a couple days after it's official reveal, but it's a good thing to have cautious optimism here. I'm sure many of you remember the gross understocking Nintendo shipped with the NES Classic, and while Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime has assured us that situation won't happen with the Nintendo Switch, you can never be too sure.
There's also the case where many retailers aren't going to maximize their stock of an upcoming console right out of the gate. A big retailer like GameStop may air on the side of caution and only order 3 consoles per store and then up the number closer to launch. It's possible that playing that game may allow them less consoles in the long run, but considering the hold GameStop has on gaming in the states, I doubt Nintendo would not prioritize them over other retailers.
From what I've seen, I think the Switch will have a strong start at its launch. While I have seen a lot of criticism, I've also seen a lot of that criticism followed by "I have it pre-ordered.". Have you pre-ordered your console yet? Will you be pre-ordering or waiting?
