Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has confirmed that the NES and SNES Classic Editions were developed as a strategic effort to sustain Nintendo's business during the struggling final years of the Wii U. After the console's sales plummeted following its first year, Nintendo needed a reliable product to generate holiday-season revenue. The solution came in the form of compact, preloaded retro consoles—first the NES Classic in 2016, followed by the SNES Classic in 2017—both of which became instant hits despite limited availability.

These miniature systems offered 30 built-in classic games each and tapped into strong nostalgia, helping Nintendo maintain visibility and revenue during a period when its next-generation plans were still under wraps. Fils-Aimé made the remarks during the NYU Game Centre Lecture Series, where he also discussed other strategic shifts from that era, including discontinuing the 8GB Wii U model and strengthening relationships with indie developers.

While fans continue to hope for similar releases for systems like the N64 or Game Boy, Nintendo has not pursued further Classic Editions, likely due to the overwhelming success of the Nintendo Switch, which already supports a broad library of retro titles through its online service.