Report: Nintendo stops Switch shipments to Japan

Shipments of the Nintendo Switch console to Japan have been suspended, reports Nikkei, because disruptions to Nintendo’s supply chain mean the company can’t meet demand in that country.

Shipments to the United States and Europe will continue, Nikkei said. It based its report on an unnamed source connected to Nintendo.

Nintendo’s most recent quarterly report said it had sold more than 52 million Switch and Switch Lite consoles since the platform’s debut in March 2017. Anecdotal accounts suggest the console’s popularity has surged with the launch of Animal Crossing: New Horizons on March 20, and with the novel coronavirus’ global spread keeping millions in isolation as a precaution.

At the end of March, Nintendo acknowledged to Business Insider that the consoles were sold out at many major retailers, but that more stock was on the way. Nikkei noted that the Switch is manufactured under contract with factories in China and Vietnam. Their Nintendo source said that operations there had recovered, but not to full capacity.

Nintendo’s official online store was sold out of Switch consoles at the end of March. Today, it has three colors of Nintendo Switch Lite available for $199.99, and the company is also offering refurbished launch versions of the console for $259.99. GameStop, meanwhile is taking pre-orders for a Nintendo Switch bundle that includes the console, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Minecraft, and a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller for $499.99. GameStop says that bundle will ship by April 30.

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