Nintendo put a halt to Switch shipments in Japan as the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted supply chains in the region. While Japan was impacted, North American and European orders will still be shipped. The news comes as demand for the Switch has skyrocketed as people around the world are forced to stay inside and self-isolate.
The consoles are assembled in China and Vietnam — two areas impacted heavily by the coronavirus outbreak. Things are starting to get back to normal, however, as a source in Nintendo told Nikkei.com they “recovered to a certain point”, but they are not back to full capacity just yet. While frustrating for gamers in the region, Nintendo noted in February there would be delays for console and video game orders. As a result, prices for the Nintendo Switch have doubled on the private market.
The shortage comes at a bad time for Nintendo who released Animal Crossing: New Horizon on March. 20, 2020 — the same launch day as the highly anticipated iD Software title Doom Eternal. As the hot new game on the console, Animal Crossing: New Horizon received praise for its immersive world, addicting gameplay, and adorable aesthetic. To celebrate the launch of the new game, Nintendo also released a special edition Switch with an Animal Crossing themed Docking Station and pastel-shaded blue and green JoyCons.
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