We’ve been hearing a lot about how the coronavirus is impacting the gaming industry, from delaying prominent games to causing shortages for systems like the Switch. Now, a new report by Nikkei Asian Review says Nintendo is taking action to combat Switch shortages and to boost production.
According to Nikkei, Nintendo Japan said it plans to increase Switch production by 10% more than its original 2020 forecast. However, these plans aren’t set in stone. A Nintendo representative told Nikkei that while the software giant has put out the call for various manufacturers and suppliers, whether they respond remains to be seen.
Nintendo is expanding its supply line out of China, into Malaysia, the Philippines, and other portions of Southeast Asia, as we reported before. However, all these countries have varying levels of social distancing in place to deal with COVID-19. Some of Nintendo’s suppliers have already received substantially larger orders than previously, up to 50% larger.
Nintendo said it hopes suppliers can comply with these orders, while one supplier source told Nikkei they would do what they could under the circumstances.
However, another industry source had a more positive outlook and said, “There are signs procurement is being moved forward to deal with the disruptions in the supply chains.”
So, with luck, the world will be seeing more Switches available for purchase. And that’s a good thing. More people are gaming now, as Nikkei says, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons‘ massive success in its first month, the Switch is in short supply.
You can check out the original story over on Nikkei Asian Review. Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more Nintendo Switch news as it develops.
