When Nintendo released a $60, miniaturized version of its beloved Nintendo Entertainment System in November 2016, people went bananas. The console sold out everywhere, and quickly became the must-have holiday gift for millions of people around the world.
Nintendo
The NES Classic Edition costs $60 and comes with 30 classic NES games built-in. It isn't capable of playing NES cartridges, and it doesn't work with NES gamepads and other accessories.
The NES Classic Edition continues to be an elusive beast nearly half a year later. And now, as of Thursday afternoon, it's a collector's item: Nintendo officially announced that the console is being discontinued.
Here's the wording straight from the horse's mouth, provided to IGN by Nintendo:
"Throughout April, [Nintendo of America] territories will receive the last shipments of Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition systems for this year. We encourage anyone interested in obtaining this system to check with retail outlets regarding availability. We understand that it has been difficult for many consumers to find a system, and for that we apologize. We have paid close attention to consumer feedback, and we greatly appreciate the incredible level of consumer interest and support for this product."
So! Why in the world would Nintendo discontinue one of its most popular products in years? There are a few reasons, and you're probably not gonna like any of them.