MadCatz Street Fighter IV Tournament Edition Arcade FightStick is currently unavailable in stores. The controller’s sexy finish, perky stick, and promise of limited availability propelled rabid SFIV fans into a pre-ordering frenzy. Most retailers ran out of pre-orders in a matter of days, leaving those who flirted with the reality of dishing out 150 bucks for the bootylicious plastic out of luck.
Don’t worry; it’s not all tombstones and dead things. According to a statement from MadCatz global communications manager Alex Verrey, stocks will be “replenished through March, April, and May.” He stressed that MadCatz “are doing everything humanly possible to manufacture more units as quickly as possible” without sacrificing the quality of the TE: FightStick.
“Crucially, we WILL be making more and we aim to ensure that any gamer who wants a stick WILL be able to purchase one,” he added. “we simply ask for a little patience and for you all to stick with us (no pun intended).”
He also tossed up a word of warning. Currently, eBay’s inflated prices for the controller ($255 and up) are laughable, but also the reality of people scrambling because they think the controller is toast. “… may I remind all readers that one should not be forced into purchasing at an inflated price on the false assumption that no more sticks will ever be available.”
So, if you want one of the big red beasts, keep checking your favorite retailers (or MadCatz) for pre-order status, as they will be updated as shipments leave the badass plants that make the hot product. And avoid eBay. Please.
