British online retailer Base.com has unexpectedly canceled all of the pre-orders customers have placed with them for the upcoming Switch title Super Mario 3D All-Stars.
Reported initially on the ResetEra forums, and subsequently confirmed by Eurogamer, Base.com sent out an email to all customers who had pre-ordered the game, informing them that their pre-orders were canceled.
We have just been notified of our allocation of Super Mario 3D All-stars (Nintendo Switch) and it is woefully short. This is very disappointing and it is with great regret that we have to inform you that we will be unable to fulfil you [sic] order on the day of release. Further, as Nintendo and their UK distributers [sic] are unable to give us any reassurance that more stock will become available after release, we have taken the regrettable decision to cancel all orders.
The game is still available for pre-order at Amazon UK and GAME, though there has been no word on any fulfillment issues from either of those retailers. Online retailer ShopTo, however, reports that it is sold out. Nintendo reportedly planned to make a limited physical run of the game and, so far as we know, is still planning to discontinue digital sales through the eShop in March of 2021.
Food For Thought
By making a nebulous “limited run” statement rather than a hard and fast number of copies, Nintendo has taken a relatively low position with their customers. It’s also difficult to understand why they would be cutting off digital sales of the game outside of a desire to keep this particular title associated with the 35th anniversary of the franchise.
On the other hand, Base.com didn’t exactly win any friends with this move. Understandably, they want to make sure customers get their game, and if they’re not getting enough stock to fulfill all their orders, somebody’s going to be put out. If the allocation was only just revealed to them, it puts them in a lousy position between Nintendo and its customers.
