You might not want to hear this, but that would work.
Limit the initial run of units to people with Nintendo accounts (not subscriptions, just the free account). All accounts must have a verified phone number and verified residential address attached to them prior to purchase. One unit per account, up to three units per address. And that console ID is locked to that account for 12 months to prevent resale. The console has to go online once to initialize, after that an internet connection is completely optional.
Nintendo is still guaranteed to sell every unit they make in a matter of days.
Then the second run of units become available to everyone and get shipped to stores. Nintendo and the stores themselves will likely still limit the number of units per person.
IIRC for the N64 controllers the Australian Nintendo Store couldn’t keep them stocked for more than an hour every 6 months or so from when to first released in October 2021 to when stock stabilised in June 2023.
From what it hear it was similar on many other regions too, I don’t think it had the effect they were hoping for.
Last I heard that the N64 controllers were limited to NSO subscribers. :/
You might not want to hear this, but that would work.
Limit the initial run of units to people with Nintendo accounts (not subscriptions, just the free account). All accounts must have a verified phone number and verified residential address attached to them prior to purchase. One unit per account, up to three units per address. And that console ID is locked to that account for 12 months to prevent resale. The console has to go online once to initialize, after that an internet connection is completely optional.
Nintendo is still guaranteed to sell every unit they make in a matter of days.
Then the second run of units become available to everyone and get shipped to stores. Nintendo and the stores themselves will likely still limit the number of units per person.
I would be okay with that method. It at a minimum authenticates an individual.
IIRC for the N64 controllers the Australian Nintendo Store couldn’t keep them stocked for more than an hour every 6 months or so from when to first released in October 2021 to when stock stabilised in June 2023.
From what it hear it was similar on many other regions too, I don’t think it had the effect they were hoping for.