The deadly Wuhan coronavirus has already impacted several industries, including overseas Hollywood blockbusters, Uber accounts, and the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona. Now Nintendo revealed the outbreak will affect the production of its flagship Switch console.
Only the Japanese market, which gets its hardware from China, will see any disruption. Nintendo confirmed hardware and pre-orders in the U.S. and other regions will continue as scheduled.
“We can confirm that the manufacturing of some Nintendo products for the Japanese market has been delayed due to the impact of 2019-nCoV coronavirus outbreak,” a Nintendo of America spokesperson told Digital Trends. “Nintendo does not anticipate a significant impact on our broader global supply chain for systems and accessories at this time, and product sales in North America and Europe, including preorders, are not affected. We would like to express our concern and support for all those affected by the coronavirus during this challenging time.
For Japanese gamers, everything from accessories, games, and full Switch models are affected. Last year’s Ring Fit Adventure game, which comes with special hardware, is out of stock in the country, and new shipments are delayed. The same is true for accessories, like the Joy-Con controllers.
Notable, too, is the status of the Animal Crossing: New Horizons edition Switch. Nintendo revealed the limited-edition Switch model to fan celebration worldwide. The special issue features pastel green and blue Joy-Cons, an illustrated dock, and detailing on the back of the Switch body.
Unfortunately, Japanese pre-orders are up in the air. In fact, players in Japan don’t even have a new release date. Nintendo moved its launch from later this week, on February 8, to “to be determined.” The unique Animal Crossing Switch goes on sale March 20, along with the namesake game in the U.S., though the model is not a bundle and won’t come with the title included.
It’s unclear if Switch sales will be affected in China, where Nintendo just started selling the console through its partnership with Tencent in December 2019. In a statement, Nintendo told Digital trends that “The situation differs by country based on various production and supply chain factors. We have nothing more to announce.”
The coronavirus has already killed hundreds in China and affected more across the world, leading to travel restrictions and closures of public spaces.
