Update from that Kotaku piece:
UPDATE (1:53pm): When asked by Kotaku, Nintendo said it does plan to ship more SNES Classics than NES Classics, but only this year.
We aren’t providing specific numbers, but we will produce significantly more units of Super NES Classic Edition than we did of NES Classic Edition.
Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Super NES Classic Edition is currently planned to ship from Sept. 29 until the end of calendar year 2017. At this time, we have nothing to announce regarding any possible shipments beyond this year.
Our long-term efforts are focused on delivering great games for the Nintendo Switch system and continuing to build momentum for that platform, as well as serving the more than 63 million owners of Nintendo 3DS family systems. We are offering Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Super NES Classic Edition in special recognition of the fans who show tremendous interest our classic content.
The more I think about the SNES Classic, the more angry I am that Nintendo can’t give any straight answers about their Virtual Console plans for the Switch. If most of these games end up being available on the Switch, I won’t really care about the SNES Classic, but if the SNES Classic comes and goes and then the Virtual Console scene turns out to be disappointing in some regard, I’m going to be mad.
I’m not so cynical as to suspect they’re intentionally limiting the SNES Classic run to drive up demand again, and that they’re holding off on VC announcements so it doesn’t cut into the SNES Classic. I think more likely they’re just as bafflingly bad at this sort of thing as they’ve always been. But either way it frustrates me.