The Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Edition became available to pre-order in America yesterday after a wait of almost two months.
Stock at Best Buy, Target, Amazon, Walmart and GameStop all sold out within minutes – with none of these leading retailers taking pre-orders today.
Scalpers have already begun putting SNES Classic Mini pre-orders on eBay at hugely marked up prices, with one listing almost quadruple the RRP.
Following on for the huge rush to secure Nintendo Classic Mini: Super Nintendo Edition pre-orders, GameStop have given fans a stock update.
The US retailer revealed on Twitter that the next time they will have SNES Classic Mini stock will be on the release date, which is September 29.
This suggests GameStop will NOT be taking anymore pre-orders until the release date.
Earlier today they tweeted: “If you weren’t able to snag an SNES Classic today — don’t sweat it. We’ll have more available on launch day, in store, for walk-ins.”
The GameStop Twitter account also confirmed that SNES Classic Mini orders will be limited to one per household.
However, the news received a mixed reception from fans – with many expecting huge queues at GameStop stores on the SNES Classic Mini launch day.
Responding to the GameStop Twitter post, one fan tweeted: “For the people that can afford to line up 5 hours before the store opens and only the first 5 people will get one”.
Another posted: “I’m saving this tweet. If there isn’t one available at 10:00 am without preorder I’ll be upset”.
And one added: “Oh good. I’d love to wait in a line all night with 150+ other people to fight over the whole lot of 20 units each store gets.”
SNES Classic Mini fans in the US have had to wait almost two months to be able to pre-order the miniature console.
In comparison, fans in the UK were able to pre-order the SNES Classic Mini when it was announced on June 27 and the weeks following it.
In both the US and UK, SNES Classic Mini pre-order stock has been snapped up quickly – often in a matter of just a few minutes.
It’s raised fears among fans that the SNES Classic Mini could have a similar stock situation as the NES Classic Mini.
The original miniature console, released last November, was regularly seen sold out and selling on eBay for massively inflated prices.
It was eventually discontinued in April after suffering from widespread stock shortages around the world.
However, Nintendo have tried to reassure fans that the SNES Classic Mini will not suffer the same stock shortages as the NES Mini did.
In a previous statement to USgamer, Nintendo said: “We aren’t providing specific numbers, but we will produce significantly more units of Super NES Classic Edition than we did of NES Classic Edition.
“Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Super NES Classic Edition is currently planned to ship from 29th September until the end of calendar year 2017. At this time, we have nothing to announce regarding any possible shipments beyond this year.”
However, these assurances have not stopped huge rushes to grab pre-orders for the SNES Classic Mini in the UK and US.
The SNES Classic Mini, which has a September 29 release date, comes loaded with 21 classic 16-Bit games that can be played in glorious HD.
It will also come bundled with two controllers and costs either £69.99 or £79.99 in the UK, and $79.99 in the US.
SNES CLASSIC MINI GAMES LIST – ALL 21 GAMES WITH THE SUPER NINTENDO CLASSIC MINI
• Contra III: The Alien Wars™
• Donkey Kong Country™
• EarthBound™
• Final Fantasy III
• F-ZERO™
• Kirby™ Super Star
• Kirby’s Dream Course™
• The Legend of Zelda™: A Link to the Past™
• Mega Man® X
• Secret of Mana
• Star Fox™
• Star Fox™ 2
• Street Fighter® II Turbo: Hyper Fighting
• Super Castlevania IV™
• Super Ghouls ’n Ghosts®
• Super Mario Kart™
• Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars™
• Super Mario World™
• Super Metroid™
• Super Punch-Out!!™
• Yoshi’s Island™