The announcement of Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo, the £89.99 / €99.99 alarm clock with sounds and music from popular Nintendo Switch games, came as a shock for many fans, but despite some criticism (mostly aimed at what it wasn’t rather than what it actually is), it seems the demand is high, at least in Japan.
Nintendo received a large number of orders for the Nintendo Sound Clock Alarmo, so they are currently suspending sales of the product on the My Nintendo Store, and changing the sales method to a lottery sale, the company announced on Twitter. This only applies in Japan, at least for now.
This happens only hours afther the product launched, which was already a limited sale, as it was restricted to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers only, even before this change. Only paid users were granted permission to buy it.
Now, those Nintendo Switch Online users will have to apply for a lottery. However, Nintendo promises they will continue to produce unites “in order to deliver them to as many customers as possible”.
The lottery system is not uncommon in Japan. Sony also used a raffle to sell the PS5 30th Anniversary Edition, and Nintendo will use it to choose playtesters for its new and mysterious Switch Online feature, whereas in Europe and North America it will work on a first-come basis.
Demand for Nintendo products is crazy, even if it is for something as bizarre as an alarm clock that reads our movements, or a giant-sized Wii remote pillow. Just a few days ago, Nintendo also had to limit merchandise sales from the Nintendo Museum store.