Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Nintendo Sells Nearly 200,000 Units Of Its Mini Retro Console (cnbc.com)

Posted by msmash on from the sales-up dept.

Strong sales for Nintendo's NES Classic Edition, a miniature version of its video game console from the 80s, could point to a new revenue stream for the Japanese games maker. From a report on CNBC: The NES Classic Edition sold 196,000 units in November in the U.S. since its launch on November 11, according to industry tracker NPD Group. Demand for the console far outstripped supply, with many retailers selling out of the product. The NES Classic Edition is a miniature version of the original console, which was released in North America in 1985 and has sold 61 million units worldwide. The Classic Edition is a "plug-and-play" device, meaning it just needs to be plugged into a television and comes bundled with 30 retro games. In Japan, a similar product called the Nintendo Classic Famicom sold 261,381 units in its first week of sales, according to data from Media Create.

51 of 78 comments (clear)

  1. 30? by invictusvoyd · · Score: 3, Informative

    it just needs to be plugged into a television and comes bundled with 30 retro games

    Couldnâ(TM)t they fit like 300 retro games in that?

    1. Re:30? by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The number of games was probably tied to marketing and statistics, not hardware limitations.

      How do you print 300 screenshots on the back of the box?
      Was there even 300 really popular games? Maybe they only put the 30 games that sold over X units over their lifetime.

    2. Re:30? by _xanthus_47 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Plus licensing, future plans(they would try to keep the IP that they want to keep alive in the long term fresh in the public's memory), avoiding having to test 300 games on this machine (even though it is an emulator) etc etc

    3. Re:30? by damn_registrars · · Score: 2
      You pretty much hit the nail on the head, there.

      licensing

      There are some popular games that Nintendo will never be allowed to license - Battletoads is a great example (as Microsoft now holds the license by having bought out Rare some time ago) - making it impossible to put every popular game on a console legally.

      future plans

      That is one big question a lot of people are asking. There does not seem to be any expansion plan for it, though I haven't seen a dissection yet.

      avoiding having to test 300 games on this machine

      That is somewhat important and leads to a tangential point. Remember the light gun games? Hogan's Alley, Duck Hunt, Bayou Billy, etc? They're out of the question for the vast majority of TV sets out there as they won't work with LCD, LED, or Plasma sets. No way around that.

      --
      Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
    4. Re:30? by Trax3001BBS · · Score: 3, Insightful

      As the most common size of a nes game was 384kb they could have easily added every single licensed nes game released (713) onto a single 512mb flash chip.

      Just need one to keep most happy for quite awhile "Super Mario Brothers".

    5. Re:30? by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      It's like potato chips. Sure they could fit more in the bag, but why shouldn't they sell you a bag that is 90% air when they can obviously get away with that?

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
    6. Re:30? by myrdos2 · · Score: 1

      They're out of the question for the vast majority of TV sets out there as they won't work with LCD, LED, or Plasma sets. No way around that.

      Unless they were to give you a light gun that works with LCD, LED or Plasma TVs. Say a little camera in the barrel that looks for some QR-code-like-thing.

    7. Re:30? by newcastlejon · · Score: 1

      The bags are filled with nitrogen (not air BTW) so that the crisps are less likely to be broken when the bag gets squashed.

      --
      If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
    8. Re:30? by xlsior · · Score: 1

      Of course, but then they couldn't get more money out of you next couple of years when they release version 2/3/4 with new/different games.

      /You don't kill the golden goose

    9. Re:30? by dissy · · Score: 1

      It primarily comes down to: How many games does Nintendo themselves own the license and distribution rights to?

      Certainly more than 30. I can see perhaps not 300, although would not at all be surprised if it was.
      Those are basically "free" so far as Nintendo has to pay anyone for rights to.

      Then looking at the selection of games included already on the thing, we can at least determine publishers that are willing to license out their games to Nintendo.
      Yes these games will each have a per copy sold royalty Nintendo must pay, but on the same token this is Nintendo, and it should be clear to anyone the demand this thing has on the market.
      At that point it's just a matter of arm wrestling between them to determine a price.

      So sure, they can't put on it every game (there's only just over 10000 in existence, this isn't a storage capacity problem)
      As you say, they can't even include all popular games.

      But they certainly could have done better than they did for no extra cost to them, and much better than they did with said cost.

      The former is the confusing "WTF nintendo?" question.
      The latter is only a question of how much they would need to sell the unit for to pay for everything on it and still make a profit. And I've no doubt in my mind that they would still sell at least some.

      I mean paint the thing zelda cart gold, only release 1000 numbered units, and sell it for a thousand dollars. They would still sell out just as fast as the current units on the market did, and that's a "worst case" situation (for the customers that is)

      But they certainly have all the data needed to know what that would cost them, what they can sell it for on the market, and roughly how many would still easily sell.
      All they had or have to do is build the things.

    10. Re:30? by JDeane · · Score: 1

      If you pick and choose semi carefully.... you can fit most of everything from the 80's up too PS1 and N64 on the Nvidia Shield TV Pro.

      For me the money was well worth it, I watch Netflix on the thing and play a crap ton of games :)

      Now back to playing Chrono Trigger on the "SNES"!!!

      but yeah I agree, this Mini NES has me interested but only from a collecting stand point, I can play all the NES games and probably with better filtering (I have recently been introduced to the wonders of BRZ, nothing is perfect when it comes to filters but I enjoy the cartoon kind of look that BRZ gives.

      Another advantage of emulation is that you can play some of the funnier hacks and mods and translations. Disadvantage? That sweet sweet NES block controller... Although I am not sure I want to hold one ever again... I think my fingers still curve in a bit more than normal from playing NES so much back in the 80's.

    11. Re:30? by invictusvoyd · · Score: 1

      the bags are filled with nitrogen and not air because nitrogen is inert and wont oxidize the chips.

    12. Re:30? by iampiti · · Score: 1

      If you really want a NES like controller I've seen (I don't remember where right now) USB imitations that work will computers

    13. Re:30? by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      I guess you've never opened a snack size bag? It's 5-7 chips.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  2. Would have bought it but for th 15 inch long wired by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    controller. Maybe when I was 6 sitting 3 feet from the TV appealed to me but now I'm old and want to sit on the damn couch. The least they could have done was up the cord length to like 8 feet or something. I'm happy to forego wireless.

  3. Re:Would have bought it but for th 15 inch long wi by TheRealMindChild · · Score: 1

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/2Pcs-E...

    --

    "When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
  4. Re:Would have bought it but for th 15 inch long wi by invictusvoyd · · Score: 1

    Or they could just make it wireless and put a dummy chord on the controller so that you really feel retro .

  5. could have easily sold 2x that by Osgeld · · Score: 2

    If they bothered to keep it in stock

    go nintendo! can't even give you money

    1. Re:could have easily sold 2x that by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

      They should only run Kickstarter campaigns. Get everyone to pay up front and force people to wait 9-18 months before delivery.

      --
      “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  6. A: Because it breaks the flow of a message by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 2

    Q: Why is starting a comment in the Subject: line incredibly irritating?

    --
    Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  7. Selling out? by meerling · · Score: 4, Informative

    "With many retailers selling out"
    When you consider how they massively shorted everyone this isn't a surprise.
    One of our local stores was supposed to get over 100 of them. They got 12, and haven't been able to get anymore. With their supplier telling them the might get some more next year, they said F-it and have dropped the product.

    Another store around here had 60 ordered. They got 3. Since then they've received 2 more.

    Nintendo is once again pulling a huge stupid out it's hat. Supply is so short many people are deciding it's not worth it, especially since they just wanted to give them as christmas gifts. No point in that if you can't get one until halfway through next year.

    1. Re:Selling out? by liquid_schwartz · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This is spot on. Nintendo has a *long* track record of doing these premeditated shortages. I was going to get one of the 3DS units that they were hyping for $99 as a Christmas gift. When they sold out in 3 min I switched to an Android tablet. No 3D but I can't really support Nintendo when their favorite holiday play is shafting their customers & potential customers. I'm done with Nintendo as my kids are old enough that this would have been the last hurrah.

    2. Re:Selling out? by RavenLrD20k · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You're missing the whole point! This is one big Retro-Nintendo Package! Not only are they giving you the games from 30 years ago in a package that looks similar to the device put out 30 years ago; but they're using the sales tactics from 30 years ago too! Make just enough to whet the appetite to create a super Christmas Hype Balloon where every kid screams "I want one of THESE for Christmas! Nothing else will ever get you my love and acceptance!" but not enough to actually supply that demand..and then grab some popcorn and watch the chaos of the Consumer Gladiator Games on the CCTV at Walmarts and hobby shops around the globe! Single units being scalped for $1000's! Fist fights! Dogs and cats living together! Mass Hysteria!

      Unfortunately for Nintendo, from what I'm witnessing the consumer climate is a whole lot cooler than it was 30 years ago with regards to these tactics. While it's true that I've seen and heard some instances of these units going for a couple hundred, I've also seen a lot of people just go "meh...not worth it." People that would normally be jumping all over this sort of thing. 200K units? Nothing to sneeze at...but nothing to write home about either. This thing is just likely to fizzle completely out by the time the Holiday Hype is done with a hugely missed opportunity for N to really rack up.

    3. Re:Selling out? by Culture20 · · Score: 1

      It has to do with them being extremely conservative in holding inventory rather than it being premeditated. Plus unlike Sony and Microsoft who'll sacrifice short term profits for long term marketshare. Nintendo could have rushed the next production run and expedited with airfreight but it would have eaten into their profit margins.

      It's not like they're new to the markets of the West. Christmas is huge gift giving season, even for atheists and other non-Christians. This device was perfectly priced and timed for Christmas, and it also had the nostalgia factor. This was 100% a premeditated shortage. Conservative estimates of demand would have been a lot more. I opted not to buy a Wii-U because it wasn't available when I wanted to buy it. This device might go the same way, because by the time it's available somewhere for retail price, I'll have forgotten to look for it.

    4. Re:Selling out? by Noah+Haders · · Score: 1

      > one guy ended up being carried out on a stretcher and the other in the back of a police car

      but who got the NES mini? I bet the cop took it. Civil forfeiture! Corrupt!

    5. Re:Selling out? by MattskEE · · Score: 4, Informative

      I agree, people don't have the patience for these tactics in today's world. It would have made an ideal Christmas gift at $60, but if you can only find it for $200 on eBay it's not worth nearly that much, especially when you consider that you still need to separately buy a 2nd controller, plus controller extension cables since what it comes with are way too short.

      These days it's also very easy to assembly a Raspberry Pi based emulation system with Retropie, it can play games from a much wider range of consoles, costs about the same amount as the NES classic, and can use modern wireless controllers. Lots of people are also playing these games with emulators on their phones, sometimes with separate bluetooth controllers.

      I think Nintendo missed their main market insertion opportunity because while people would have satisfied their retro urge for $60, the wait will send a lot of people to emulators with the pirated ROMs, and Nintendo will get nothing.

    6. Re:Selling out? by wicka_wicka · · Score: 1

      It's not "premeditated," and the guy you're replying to is 1000% correct. Nintendo is a MUCH smaller company than Sony and Microsoft and they aren't able to takes as many risks. Building too many consoles and leaving some of them on the shelves isn't a option, that wasted money hurts them bad. They've always been conservative in this regard and they always will be. It's sound business sense.

      --
      hi
    7. Re:Selling out? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      How about putting up an order page then so we can at least place an order and wait for it to be manufactured?

      Nintendo is leaving money on the table.

    8. Re:Selling out? by Arashi256 · · Score: 1

      Then they fucked up. I was going to buy one of these for myself for Christmas and as something to play with my little boy, but they're sold out everywhere. As I resigned myself to not getting one until the new year, I then thought "what the fuck am I doing?" bought a Raspberry Pi 3, two USB controllers and installed RetroPie for the same money with next-day delivery. Ah, much better.

    9. Re:Selling out? by aliquis · · Score: 1

      There's a difference in paying for games rather than not doing so though.

    10. Re:Selling out? by Yvan256 · · Score: 1

      That's completely different, though. You have access to better emulators and more emulated consoles, you are not limited to a fixed list of 30 games and you can use the USB gamepads you want. And you can even make/order a 3D-printed mini-NES case, too.

      Wait, why would we buy the Nintendo console again? To pay for games we still have in the attic?

    11. Re:Selling out? by Osgeld · · Score: 1

      that was my problem with it

      I would have bought one in an instant if I could have, but after the OMG hype inpulse fad of it wore off days later, rational self said hell I already have all the NES roms and then bought a PI3

    12. Re:Selling out? by wicka_wicka · · Score: 1

      You can place an order at most retailers and they will ship you one when it's in stock. These retailers are in contact with Nintendo. Nintendo is fully aware of demand.

      --
      hi
  8. Re:Would have bought it but for th 15 inch long wi by Binestar · · Score: 1

    22lbs if you put it in $100's.

    1 Metric Tons in Singles.

    100 Tons in Nickles.

    I'd like to try Scrooge McDuck'ing the 18,539.28 Quarts of Nickles, which would be in a swimming pool approximately 3.5 meters across and 2 meter deep.

    (Yes, I just used imperial and metric to screw with you)

    --
    Do you Gentoo!?
  9. Nintendo financials by CanEHdian · · Score: 1

    Next time Nintendo complains about their financials (bla bla Piracy bla bla), remind them could've sold 10 times as many, just going by the lineups on launch day.

    --
    When the copyright term is "forever minus a day", live every day like it's the last.
  10. They're all in warehouses rented by ebayers by Culture20 · · Score: 1

    Has anyone seen one in the wild?

  11. Re:Next up: by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

    M.U.L.E. is one of the best classic games, but it sort of straddles a weird place between video game and board game. And some of the game play is very dated, even if the core mechanics are still great.

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  12. Re:And Windows 10 Mobile Sold by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

    Are these two comparable? Isn't one an operating system and the other a toy?

    I'd compare it more to a toy's sales numbers. But I doubt it beat the hottest toy of the year: Fisher-Price Think & Learn Code-a-pillar.

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  13. Re:Would have bought it but for th 15 inch long wi by Noah+Haders · · Score: 1

    1 ton ~= 1 metric ton
    1 meter ~= 1 yard

    oh snap I just unwound your attempt at confusion!

    Also I assume you mean US customary units, not imperial units. An imperial quart is different than a US customary quart.

  14. Re:They are going out by Noah+Haders · · Score: 1

    and yet they sell millions of Wiis and DS handhelds. They appeal to market segments that are abandoned by PS, Xbox. And they're expanding into phone mobile gaming. Pokemon came out 6 months ago and Mario came out yesterday.

  15. Re:They are going out by newcastlejon · · Score: 1

    and yet they sell millions of Wiis and DS handhelds.

    Handhelds maybe, but this thing is outselling the Wii. When your flagship product is gathering dust on the shelves and you can't restock your retro item fast enough you've got problems. I'd hoped that Nintendo would have toned down the gimmicks for the latest Wii but the way things going I have my doubts about their long-term future. At least they have the DS to keep them going.

    Pokémon Go wasn't actually made by Nintendo, by the way.

    --
    If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
  16. Supply and Demand by Jezral · · Score: 2

    Nintendo seriously underestimated the demand for this thing. I was quite looking forward to getting one for my 5-year-old daughter, but here in Denmark they've been sold out since launch.

    1. Re:Supply and Demand by KozmoStevnNaut · · Score: 1

      I have a friend who pre-ordered the day they were announced, and he still hasn't gotten it.

      --
      Eat the rich.
  17. Re: Would have bought it but for th 15 inch long w by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Wireless controllers suck. All of them.

    The reason the cords are short is because it's the length of the Famicom cords that were attached to the unit. The controllers can also one used with the wiimote which you wouldn't want to duplicate the functionality for this. Just buy an extension cord.

  18. Re:Next up: by Atzanteol · · Score: 1

    And the theme song will be stuck in my head for hours...

    --
    "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"

    - Charles Darwin
  19. Re:They are going out by Noah+Haders · · Score: 1

    The Wii U is a disaster and is a dead product. The original Wii was a humongo success. Nintendo is releasing the new Switch early next year. No reason to give up hope just cuz they have a bad console.

  20. thats it? by bobmajdakjr · · Score: 2

    i can name over 200,000 people on one hand who wanted one talk about artificial scarcity jeez

  21. Not waiting by ScottArthur · · Score: 2

    I'd like to have one,but I don't want to wait until next year when they finally get enough units out to be able to get one at retail price. Probably just make a retropie system with the raspberry pi I already have and haven't done anything with. Screw you,Nintendo with your low stock bull crap.

  22. Re:They are going out by Yvan256 · · Score: 1

    http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?...

  23. Would you pay to license 300 games? by HalAtWork · · Score: 1

    It would be a lot more than $60

    --
    Twinstiq, game news
  24. Re:They are going out by Noah+Haders · · Score: 1

    I don't get it. this doesn't relate to the switch, which will be a big success.