NES Classic Edition To Be Discontinued; Last Shipments Go Out This Month

It wasn't supposed to be a long-term product, Nintendo said.

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The NES Classic Edition from Nintendo, plagued by supply issues during its short life span, is being discontinued after only a six-month run, Nintendo of America has revealed. The last shipments will be going to retailers this month.

“Throughout April, NOA territories will receive the last shipments of Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition systems for this year," Nintendo said in a statement to IGN. "We encourage anyone interested in obtaining this system to check with retail outlets regarding availability. 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.”

Whether this applies only to North America or is indeed worldwide is unclear. But a representative explained to IGN that the product was never meant for a long run. “NES Classic Edition wasn’t intended to be an ongoing, long-term product. However, due to high demand, we did add extra shipments to our original plans."

While the move is a bit of a surprise, Nintendo might be planning something new to replace the unit. The statement specifically says last shipments are going out "for this year." It was incredibly popular, hence the supply shortages, but it was easily hackable and became an emulator for hundreds of games. Knowing how Nintendo feels about emulation in general, it may have a better solution in mind.

Either way. grab your NES Classic if and while you can. Otherwise, expect to pay even more exorbitant price on eBay down the road. 

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