Nintendo is reportedly ramping up Switch production to meet demand
According to Nikkei Asian Review, suppliers are receiving larger component orders than usual.
The Nintendo Switch is harder to find than ever right now, as social distancing efforts to fight the spread of COVID-19 have driven up demand for the game system while also impeding production. Nintendo first acknowledged the issues in February when it postponed deliveries for the Animal Crossing-themed Switch system in Japan, however just last week it said those consoles will ship at the end of this month.
However, Eurogamer points out an article in the Nikkei Asian Review paper citing suppliers who said that they’ve received orders covering the April - June period that are as much as 50 percent higher than expected. According to their sources, the company plans to raise Switch production for the year to about 10 percent more than the 20 million or so consoles it made in 2019.
Beyond coronavirus and demand to play Animal Crossing: New Horizons or Ring Fit Adventure, the other thing that could keep supply tight is the reseller market. A recent report by Motherboard focused on resellers using bots to snap up available systems as soon as they go on sale. If that remains a lucrative business — and retailers can’t get sales out to the public — then it could be a while before you can find one in stores again.
