Scalpers used the limited release of the NES Classic Mini to sell systems for two, three or even four times as much as its recommended retail price. To put the kibosh on those deals, Nintendo made an announcement earlier this year that it would re-release the console in greater quantity at some point in 2018.
That day has finally come … well, almost.
According to GameStop who spoke to video game news outlet GameSpot, the retailer will be receiving new units starting on June 29. Units will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis but, according to the video game retailer, stores might have as few as 10 units available for sale.
If you’re not much of a morning person and can’t see yourself waiting in line on the morning of June 29 for a unit, all hope isn’t lost. GameStop will reserve units for online sales that will open up on the 29th, and both Best Buy and online retailer ThinkGeek have announced that they too will have units for sale.
Best Buy disbursed the details of its shipments on its blog, where it states NES Classic Minis will be sold both online and in-stores – though, again, in limited quantities. It will use a ticketing system at stores with high amounts of foot traffic and that it will limit sales to one unit per customer.
As for ThinkGeek, you can expect sales for the console to go live starting at 9 AM ET / 6 AM PT on June 29 and last until the retailer runs out. Previously, ThinkGeek sold the NES Classic as part of package deals wherein you needed to buy a second item with the console to clear checkout. Thankfully, ThinkGeek says it will not force that on customers this time around.
The Best Buy pre-order page is linked down below – good luck!
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Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition at Best Buy: Want to get your hands on an NES Classic Mini without paying three times the MSRP? Best Buy will have units available for sale in stores and online starting on June 29 for $59.99!
Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar's sister site, Tom's Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He's also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he's not using if anyone wants it.