As the novel coronavirus continues to bottleneck global supply chains, finding a Nintendo Switch at a reasonable price has become a nearly-impossible task.
Quarantine induced boredom has people searching for new ways to keep themselves entertained. Some people are baking bread and some are sewing masks. But an increasingly large group of people are “panic-buying” the Switch so they don’t miss out on Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
As a result, the shelves of major retailers have been empty for weeks. Even pricy Nintendo Switch bundles are sold out. Astronomically priced third-party options are available, but even those are disappearing quickly. If you want a Switch right now, you may get stuck paying close to $600 for a new console.
With shipping out of Japan completely halted, it’s difficult to say exactly when the US will be able to restock. Most estimates claim that those who are looking to buy a Switch for something closer to the console’s retail price will likely have to wait until June or July at the earliest. Nintendo’s Ring Fit Adventure is also temporarily sold out.
Nintendo America recognizes the issue and is doing everything in its power to solve for increasing demand and dwindling supply. In a statement made to GameSpot, Nintendo explained that “Switch hardware is selling out at various retail locations in the U.S., but more systems are on the way. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
With no scheduled date for new US shipments, many Americans will be forced to go Switchless for at least another month.
