Nintendo is struggling to meet Switch demand due to chip shortages

Sony has struggled to keep up with demand for the PlayStation 5, but it’s not the only company that’s on the ropes. Recent comments made by Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa suggest the global shortage of semiconductors is also constraining Switch production, which means consumers may find it difficult to buy the portable console.

In a recent call following the publication of Nintendo’s latest earning results (via Video Game Chronicle), Furukawa expressed uncertainty over future Switch production.

“Due to the global shortage of semiconductor materials, we are not able to produce all the products we want to,” Furukawa said. “We are doing everything we can, but there is an increasing sense of uncertainty about production plans.”

Nintendo said it expects to ship 25.50 million Switch units in the current period ending March 31, 2022, which is below what the company sold over the same period in its last fiscal year. A large part of the lower sales forecast is due to component constraints. But Nintendo also said the lack of a flagship game is also hampering sales. As an aside, Nintendo already announced it’s working on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, but there’s no word when that will be released.

As lockdown restrictions were going into effect last year, Nintendo released Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which Furukawa said was a big part of what drove hardware sales. The title provided gamers with the perfect escape from the pandemic, allowing players to build an idyllic island free of stress and worry. It couldn’t have landed at a more perfect time.

The Nintendo Switch is still far easier to find than other consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S. But with semiconductor shortages expected for many more months, one has to wonder how Nintendo’s rumored Switch Pro will be affected. The console is expected to go on sale later this year, but with the industry hit by massive delays, it could be incredibly difficult to find when it launches.

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