Update (4/21/21, 1:08 PM) – Nintendo has released a short statement about the closure of the Nintendo Labo website. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to answer any of our questions.
Nintendo sent off a short statement to GamesRadar. Here's what it said:
"Nintendo Labo is available at retail locations. We routinely conduct product website maintenance and reorganization. Information on Nintendo Labo can be found at Nintendo.com."
It looks like Nintendo Labo will remain available as a product for now, although we can't say for certain how long. Nintendo didn't elaborate on whether or not any new Labo kits would be coming out, either.
Our original story continues below.
It looks like Nintendo Labo might be no more. This rather odd Nintendo Switch experience that let you play games with cardboard toys was pretty cool, but it looks like you might have a hard time finding it pretty soon.
Nintendo is no stranger to cooking up strange products, but Nintendo Labo certainly raised some eyebrows. The concept is simple: you get some foldable cardboard that can be used to build toys. Those toys can slot in the Nintendo Switch screen and/or a Joy-Con controller and then you can use them to play video games in a new way. It's a pretty cool idea and Nintendo had quite a few tricks up its sleeve; following the initial debut, it launched a vehicle kit and even a virtual reality experience for gamers to enjoy. Now, it looks like the whole project might be coming to an end.
@Akfamilyhome on Twitter noticed that the official labo.nintendo.com site has been recently taken down. Attempting to go to that web address now redirects you to the store page for the VR Kit. Compare it to how the site looked in late February 2021 and it's clear that the Labo website is no more, and that's a good indicator that Nintendo might be stopping production on Labo products (if it hasn't already).
The timing of the site's removal is interesting, too — Fiscal Year 2020 ended on March 31, 2021, and it looks like the Labo website began shutting down sometime last month. That's a clue that the project may not have been funded for Fiscal Year 2021 (which runs from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022), and that could have consequently caused the closure of the product line's web page. We've reached out to Nintendo for comment, but it hasn't responded in time for publication; we'll update this article when we receive a reply.
That's not to say it's going to be the end of Labo, though — market researcher Emily Rogers says that there's "one more tiny announcement" on the way, so there might be a chance to pick up one more cool thing before this toy line is done. It's also possible that existing kits might still be in production for a time. And if you already own Labo toys, you'll probably be able to buy replacement parts for a while, although some of them could be pretty pricey.
Can You Still Buy Nintendo Labo?
The downside is that Nintendo Labo might be ending production and that means it could be challenging to get your hands on one of these kits pretty soon. The upside is that quite a few products are still available for purchase!
The Nintendo Labo Variety Kit, Robot Kit, and Vehicle Kit are all in stock at Amazon at prices roughly ranging from $40–$50. The VR Starter Set can be ordered too (albeit at a much higher price of $79.99), but it won't be back in stock until May 1, 2021.
Considering that Nintendo closed down the Labo website, they might not be making any new kits in the future. This could very well be your last chance to buy these cool Labo toys before they start to cost a lot more.
Disclosure: Amazon works with TechRaptor for affiliate partnership, and TechRaptor earns a small commission off purchases made from some links in this article.
Have you bought any of the Nintendo Labo products? If it really is coming to an end, do you think that Nintendo should have kept producing it? Let us know in the comments below!