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Nintendo’s NES Classic and SNES Classic are going out of production

Nintendo’s NES Classic and SNES Classic are going out of production

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Nintendo’s NES and SNES Classic consoles are going away after the holidays — probably for good this time. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter this week, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé said that the mini-consoles will be going out of production, and once the holiday season stock sells out, they won’t be restocked.

Nintendo isn’t new to supply issues. The NES Classic immediately sold out when it was first released in November 2016, with resellers charging hundreds of dollars for the popular product. Initially discontinued in April 2017, Nintendo rereleased the $60 NES Classic this past June, and it has been fairly easy to come by ever since. The company corrected its mistake with the SNES Classic, its second mini-console. Nintendo promised significantly more shipments and ramped-up production when it was released in September last year. As a result, the SNES Classic never ran into the same impossible-to-find supply issues as the NES model. But soon, Nintendo fans will return to the point where finding a console at original pricing might prove pretty difficult.

Rather than focusing on nostalgia gadgets, Nintendo wants to direct gamers to the classic content it’s adding to Nintendo Switch Online, which includes NES games like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and other titles. This month, Nintendo is adding Ninja Gaiden, Wario’s Woods, and Adventures of Lolo to the service.

If you want to jump on either Classic console before it’s too late, your best bet is to grab them in-store from retailers like Best Buy, GameStop, and Walmart. Although Amazon says the NES Classic Edition will be in stock on December 18th, the SNES Classic won’t be shipping out until December 22nd, so if you’re looking to gift the SNES Classic for Christmas, you’ll have to opt for at least two-day shipping or same-day delivery.