MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Nintendo is looking to increase Switch production to meet the increased demand during the lockdown, according to Nikkei.
According to parts suppliers informed of the plans, Nintendo it is expecting to produce about 10 per cent more Switch units in 2020, an increase on the 20 million produced last year. Nintendo has asked multiple suppliers and contract assemblers to increase production in the April-June quarter.
There has been a worldwide shortage of the Switch, and Nintendo recently was forced to suspend Switch shipments to Japan due to the COVID-19 crisis.
“We hope [suppliers] will be responsive to the production increase, but for procurement of some parts, the outlook remains uncertain, and we can’t forecast exactly how many Switches can be supplied,” said a Nintendo representative to Nikkei.
As well as from consumers looking for entertainment during the lockdown, Switch sales has received a boost from the success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which is Japan’s biggest Switch launch of all time. The coronavirus crisis impacted this too, forcing Nintendo to halt production of the Animal Crossing Switch bundle.
The supply chain for the Switch has expanded into China and Southeast Asia, but Malaysia and The Philippines have imposed social restrictions that could disrupt deliveries of Switch parts.
