The NES Classic Edition has certainly sparked a frenzy among gamers ever since it was announced, what more when it was released. Sure, we are not able to stuff in our old NES cartridges that we have carefully stored away in the attic, and neither are we able to download “new” titles onto the console via a Virtual Library of sorts, but since the NES Classic Edition already comes with its fair share of games right out of the box, it makes perfect sense for it to be a hot selling item. So hot, in fact, that it was sold out shortly after it was released. When there was word going around that Best Buy would be restocking its NES Classic Edition stock, everyone was excited. Surely the lesson has been learned, and there would be enough NES Classic Editions to go around for everyone, especially during the Christmas season?
Apparently not -- it looks like the “limited quantities” of the NES Classic Edition that hit more than 1,000 Best Buy stores in the US have more or less sold out. According to Best Buy earlier in the day, “...the NES Classic Edition will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Just like on Black Friday, our stores will have a ticketing process for customers waiting in line. We will only pass out as many tickets as we have consoles available, and we'll have a limit of one per customer."
A limit of just one per customer! Of course, I am quite sure that there will be some families who would have roped in as many people as possible in order to obtain a fair number of consoles to bring home for gift giving purposes later on. Of course, early in the morning has shown that trying to hunt down the NES Classic Edition has continued to prove itself to be a very frustrating experience, with many Best Buys already selling out their stock before dawn. Perhaps it would be better to try your luck with other vendors such as GameStop, as that is what Thrillist reported, although do expect the stock to be extremely limited as well.
In conducting a post mortem of the situation, did Nintendo actually underestimate the reception that the NES Classic Edition would have received? Perhaps so, as it might be nuts to think that folks would still go out to pick up something that has decades old technology underneath the hood mixed up with modern day connectivity.
Well, as a last resort, there is always the action site known as eBay. Looking through some of the eBay listings, what is supposed to be a $59.99 console (it’s recommended retail price), is now available for $150 and above, some offers even surpassing the $200 mark. Of course, there is someone else who is offering the NES Classic Edition with a “Buy It Now” option for $500 -- now how about that for free market forces? I suppose when there is a will, there is way, except that it might be a very expensive method.
