VR Gets Hype, but Nintendo SNES Classic Always Wins

Nintendo just announced that they will be selling a new classic console this year, and it’s going to be awesome. Will Nintendo strike gold again like they did with the NES Classic?

Faithful Edgy Labs readers, veteran gamers, and gaming historians of all ages, I have some huge news. Nintendo just made a surprise announcement that on September 29th the SNES Classic will be available for purchase.

Now, most of the other large video game console developers are delving into the realm of VR to expand their portfolio and their profit margins, but Nintendo isn’t having it, and nor should they.

One of the things that the company has going for it is the nostalgia factor shared by millions of people around the world who grew up with their games and consoles, and if they want to stay afloat among their contemporaries, they need to work what they have.

It’s pretty smart, all told. They aren’t trying to sell you the next big gaming tech that you need; they’re trying to sell you the cherished memories that you want to relive.

And folks, I want to relive those memories. The SNES Classic will be stuffed to the brim with an excellent selection of games and features, but before we get too deep into that, let’s talk a bit about Nintendo’s marketing strategy, or as I like to call it, their plan to catch lightning in a bottle.

Welcome to Nintendo Marketing 101

When Nintendo released the NES Classic last year they had a unique plan. See, most companies that make consoles want to sell as many of them as possible, but Nintendo’s toy company roots told them that they could make a big pile of money if they throttled sales and turned the Classic into a very exclusive item.

See, most companies that make consoles want to sell as many of them as possible, but Nintendo’s toy company roots told them that they could make a big pile of money if they throttled sales and turned the Classic into a very exclusive item.

And did that plan work? Yes, yes it did. In fact, the NES Classic was the most sought after toy of the 2016 Christmas season.

It was so coveted that Microsoft CEO Bill Gates was able to get some good PR by adding one to his yearly Secret Santa package for one lucky Reddit user, and despite the copious amounts of Xbox One goodness that came with the gifts, it was the Classic that made headlines.

Nintendo had struck lightning, and anyone with eyes could see that the limit placed on production drove up enough demand to sell out their entire supply. When they discontinued production entirely back in April, they ensured that, should they make another NES Classic, it’ll have built-in demand from all the people that couldn’t get one.

In light of that little bit of recent history, I wouldn’t be surprised if the SNES Classic is ‘unexpectedly’ discontinued just months after its release. That way, if the Nintendo Switch doesn’t do so well in 2017, Nintendo can still make plenty of money to round out the end of their year.

Okay, that’s all of the interesting little business tidbits surrounding the new Classic. Now it’s time to break into all of the wonderful features of this upcoming retro gem of a machine.

Don’t Call it a Throwback

While I can recognize that Nintendo’s marketing plan is probably the more important part of this story, this is the part that has me really excited. The SNES Classic is going to be loaded with plenty of my best childhood memories, and it even has something that few gamers around the world have ever seen.

The console itself will come with an HDMI cable, AC and USB charging components, and two controllers. I haven’t seen any word yet on how long the cords for those controllers will be, mind you, but with any luck, they will be longer than the 3 feet that we got with the NES Classic.

All of that sounds pretty similar to the NES Classic, but the real shining point is the selection of games that will come with the SNES Classic.

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