After four months on the market, Nintendo has pulled the plug on the NES Classic Edition plug-and-play console. In a statement to IGN, a Nintendo of America rep said the last shipments would make their way to North American retailers through the end of April. The discontinuation also affects the NES Classic Edition controller that is sold separately.
In apologetic terms, Nintendo acknowledged the strife and struggle it has been for consumers to get a hold on the NES Classic Edition in stores, a device intended to be sold at $60 USD but often resold by scalpers for much higher prices.
“We understand that it has been difficult for many consumers to find a system, and for that we apologize. We have paid close attention to consumer feedback, and we greatly appreciate the incredible level of consumer interest and support for this product.”
Admittedly, the Nintendo rep said that the NES Classic Edition was never “intended to be an ongoing, long-term product. However, due to high demand, we did add extra shipments to our original plans.”
The NES Classic Edition, a miniature reproduction of the NES with 30 built-in games from the system, went on sale on November 11th last year, and suffered shortages as soon as it was made available. The system and it’s standalone controller were never available in adequate supply to consumers in its short lifespan, and sold 1.5 million worldwide through the holiday season.
Nintendo was continuously caught off guard by the demand for the plug-and-play console. CEO Tatsumi Kimishima previously apologized for the shortages and promised the company was working to increase production. While this promise was made only two months ago, the limited edition system has now been made moribund.
