Nintendo Reported Increases Switch Production Due to High Demand

People around the world are desperate to get their hands on a Nintendo Switch — and it’s not hard to see why. While we’re all stuck inside, the Switch and its extensive library of titles let us explore the vast wilderness (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) keep up an exercise routine (Ring Fit Adventure). It’s even allowed players to plan socially distant hangouts with our friends on a gorgeous tropical island (Animal Crossing: New Horizons).

Over the past several months, the production of Switch units has not been able to keep up with ever-increasing demand. Retailers began to report shortages of the console as early as February, and the situation only became direr as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened and Target, GameStop, and others were forced to close their doors.

However, Nintendo has reportedly begun putting measures into effect, which will combat this shortage. A spokesperson for Nintendo told Japanese business and financial news outlet Nikkei that they are planning to ramp up production of Switches by 10% during the April-June quarter. They did not officially announce several units which they hope to produce during this period, choosing to use only percentages.

“We hope [suppliers] will be responsive to the production increase, but for procurement of some parts, the outlook remains uncertain,” the Nintendo spokesperson stated during their conversation with Nikkei. Presumably, the global COVID-19 situation is the primary cause of these potential part shortages.

Nintendo acknowledges that this is a potentially risky move. Right now, nobody knows or can accurately predict when the lockdown will end — and whether or not the increased demand for Switches will persist when social distancing is no longer required.

It will likely be several weeks until we see the results of Nintendo’s efforts. For now, the Switch remains out of stock in some countries, both in stores and online. However, the Switch is still listed for purchase on Nintendo’s official website here.

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