I was looking forward to grabbing the NES Classic Edition console today, but it was not to be: the box, a miniaturized version of the classic 1980s machine replete with dozens of classic games, sold out instantaneously.
At Amazon, countless negative reviews piled up as buyers rushed to check out the surprise hit, only to be shut down by error messages.
"Clearly thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of gamers were sitting on the product page hammering the F5 key and some random selection thereof got their wish," writes Devin Coldeway at Techcrunch.
The instant evaporation of inventory from Amazon was repeated at other stores: top retailer GameStop reported being out of stock half an hour after opening.
They're already popping up on eBay for ridiculous prices; Nintendo says it will have more on the shelves soon.
The Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition system is a hot item, and we are working hard to keep up with consumer demand. 1/3
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) November 11, 2016
There will be a steady flow of additional systems through the holiday shopping season and into the new year. 2/3
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) November 11, 2016
Please contact your local retailers to check availability. A selection of participating retailers can be found @ https://t.co/rMbd6Wacpi 3/3
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) November 11, 2016
Previously: NES Classic Edition looks like great fun—but will it hack?
