If you are one of the fans that wanted a NES Classic Mini but did not get one then you are not alone. Just look at your local classifieds listings, or eBay, and you will see scalpers that purchased many units and are reselling them at a premium price. This is often blamed on Nintendo for not producing enough of them. The thing is, Nintendo made it clear from the beginning that the NES Classic Mini was never going to be a long term retail project. The blame here is simply on good old capitalism and the old saying, "it takes money to make money."
The underlying question remains, was the NES Classic Mini simply a marketing tool for the Nintendo Switch? Here is why I think it is indeed just such a situation fans are too blind, or close to the project, to see.
Anyone that has tried to acquire a NES Classic Mini on the open market, away from retail, has probably seen prices range from $150 to $500. Now, if you are one of those people, I was, then it probably crosses your mind to simply buy a Nintendo Switch, I know it did mine (that savings could be astronomical and it is a PORTABLE!).
Could Nintendo have known that the limited quantities would have been sucked up by scalpers and then resold afterwards for astronomical prices? Probably not. I am sure someone at Nintendo probably brought this scenario up at some point.
I am just speculating here on out
Let's just assume Nintendo planned on the shortages causing astronomical second market prices. Of course they could not know how high those prices would be but they knew they would be above the list price of $70 (the price the NES Classic Mini sold for at retail). With this in mind, and knowing their new console, the Nintendo Switch, was $300, Nintendo gambled taht at least some of the disgruntled fans that wanted a NES Classic Mini may turn to simply buying the Nintendo Switch - it is also a portable after all.
The lack of NES Classic Mini's at retail also led to Nintendo seeing TONS of press - both good and bad (as we all know, there is no such thing as "bad press"). This kept Nintendo in the mind of gamers and hot on their tongues when spending money. Even non-Nintendo fans were wanting the Mini, many probably did turn to the Switch - maybe at the suggestion of retail employees bringing up the "other" new Nintendo platform.
While it is impossible to verify if Nintendo planned the shortages to use as some king of marketing gimmick but it would have been an ingenious way of doing it. This is also a rather large gamble on their part - it could just as easily pushed potential fans away from gaming or to the competition.
What do you think? Was the NES Classic Mini a marketing gimmick for the Nintendo Switch?