Nintendo Admits It Underestimated Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Demand

Did you manage to snag the Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition Switch 2 before it vanished? If not, you're not alone—and Nintendo feels your pain. The company has admitted it completely underestimated how many of you would want one.

In an interview with Coelho no Japão, Bill van Zyll, vice president and general manager of Nintendo in Latin America, opened up about the instant sellout. "Well, if we expected it, we wouldn't be in that situation, right? At least not to this extent," he said. "I will tell you that it's a global phenomenon. We have this issue absolutely everywhere. We apologize for that. That certainly is not the intent. We underestimated how well it would be received—and there's certainly some markets that stand out."

So where did it hit hardest? The United States "did extremely well," according to van Zyll, but it wasn't alone. "It's a global phenomenon where they're running out of product," he added. "The pre-sales are hitting their max, and certainly that's what happened to us in Brazil." Fans everywhere faced the same nightmare: endless online queues, crashing websites, and frantic refreshing—a struggle many of you know all too well.

Nintendo isn't sitting on its hands, though. Van Zyll assured that replenishments are on the way. "We are working on replenishments of the special hardware and the software, but it'll take a little bit of time," he said. "Please be patient." Easier said than done when you're desperate to get your hands on that gorgeous Zelda-themed console, right?

Honestly, the surprise here is that Nintendo was surprised at all. The original Switch had its own Zelda-themed edition that flew off shelves, and the Animal Crossing: New Horizons one was just as popular. You'd think the pattern would be obvious by now. But van Zyll insists the scale still caught them off guard: "It caught us by surprise. We expected a positive response, but the magnitude… It's amazing."

If you're still hunting for one, keep a close eye on retailers and Nintendo's own store. The special edition console launches on October 29, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake arrives on November 5. Given the frenzy, you'll want to act fast when restocks hit.

Will you be trying your luck at the next restock, or are you holding out for the Ocarina of Time remake itself? Let us know in the comments!