Get Them Fast: NES Classic, SNES Classic Are Going Out of Production
Nintendo's wildly popular miniature game consoles are going out of production after the holidays.
If you enjoy playing classic games, you might want to act quickly and buy a NES Classic Edition or SNES Classic Edition before it's too late.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in an interview recently, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said that his company will stop producing the NES Classic Edition and SNES Classic Edition after the holidays. And once all of the holiday stock has been sold, there will be no way again to buy the hardware.
The news may come as a bummer to fans of Nintendo's miniature game consoles. But it also speaks to where Nintendo wants to go and how it hopes to achieve it.
Increasingly, Nintendo is turning its attention to digital games and trying to get people to download classic titles from its Nintendo Switch. The company's $20 per year Nintendo Switch Online service includes access to a growing library of classic NES games such as Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and Ninja Gaiden.
"The way that consumers will be able to continue participating with our classic content is going to be through Nintendo Switch Online," Fils-Aime told The Hollywood Reporter. Fils-Aime didn't mention whether Nintendo Switch Online would gain games from other consoles such as the Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64, but it seems like your Switch will be the best way to get access to old Nintendo games going forward.
Still, the NES Classic Edition and SNES Classic Edition were wildly successful. And if nothing else, they helped to usher in a new era of nostalgia boxes from other companies, including Sony's disappointing PlayStation Classic.
For now, though, the hardware is still readily available at GameStop, Walmart, and Best Buy. So, if you're looking to relive gaming's past, now's the time to pounce.
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Don Reisinger is CEO and founder of D2 Tech Agency. A communications strategist, consultant, and copywriter, Don has also written for many leading technology and business publications including CNET, Fortune Magazine, The New York Times, Forbes, Computerworld, Digital Trends, TechCrunch and Slashgear. He has also written for Tom's Guide for many years, contributing hundreds of articles on everything from phones to games to streaming and smart home.