Nintendo aims to boost Switch production Company reportedly tells part suppliers to prepare for a 10% jump in output this year

Brendan Sinclair North American Editor Monday 20th April 2020 Share this article Share

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Nintendo is planning to ramp up production on the Switch, according to a Nikkei Asian Review report.

The outlet says parts suppliers have been told by Nintendo that the company wants to boost overall Switch production by 10% in 2020.

"We hope [suppliers] will be responsive to the production increase, but for procurement of some parts, the outlook remains uncertain, and we can't forecast exactly how many Switches can be supplied," a Nintendo representative said to Nikkei.

The pandemic has hurt Switch availability this year, causing both delays to production and increases in demand from customers under stay-at-home orders. Nintendo has struggled to keep units on shelves, a challenge apparently complicated by re-sellers using automated bots to scoop up new stock as soon as it hits major retailers' websites.

Earlier this year, Nintendo said it was expecting to sell 19.5 million units between the Switch and Switch Lite for the fiscal year ended March 31. It should be clear whether Nintendo reached that target when it releases its year-end earnings report on May 7.