From before even the SNES Classic was announced, Nintendo fans and gamers across the world were preparing themselves for a battle to get hold of the much-wanted console. As it turns out, this has proven to be the case, with many being left disappointed in the surge for pre-orders for the device. Meanwhile, companies such as GameStop have been criticized for the pre-order bundles on offer, something that GameStop has now defended itself against.
In particular, some gamers have been left unhappy with the number of bundles that GameStop created for the SNES Classic, bumping the price of the console up considerably from its core price of $79.99. That said, Eric Bright, GameStop senior director of merchandising, feels that these bundles instead are "more convenient" to players.
Speaking about the issue of bundling devices with other items, Bright stated that GameStop tries to "do a great job of pairing up items with things customers like to buy." Going on to cite examples of bundles, such as the inclusion of a charging device with a Switch bundle or a memory stick to help with the storage issues of the console, the GameStop executive explained that "we make it more convenient."
However, some gamers might take umbrage with the idea that these SNES Classic Edition bundles - that include the console with items unrelated to the device at hand such as a Legend of Zelda chess set or a Mega Man helmet - are of convenience to players. After all, pre-orders of the SNES Classic sold out almost immediately, and so those desperate to own this retro device may have felt they had to take on a bundle they did not particularly want in order to ensure they were able to get the console at all.
Bright instead suggests that there are alternatives to the pre-designed bundles available online. "Customers have the opportunity to come into our stores and choose the accessories that they would like to bundle with their hardware, or buy online the pre determined bundles we have put together to help make the shopping experience more convenient," said Bright. GameStop will have SNES Classic Editions on launch day, apparently, but given the scarcity of the product as a whole many would-be owners might have to face many challenges before being able to purchase one on release.
Instead, it seems likely that the best way to ensure ownership of the device was to manage to get a pre-order nailed down, with or without a bundle of perhaps unwanted products. Although Nintendo had promised that the SNES Classic would have significantly more units than its NES counterpart, it seems as though the same rush has taken place regardless, leaving many frustrated at their inability to purchase a much-wanted product.
The SNES Classic Edition releases on September 29, 2017.
Source: Glixel