We are developing an educational game console for students and
hobbiests intersted in game console hardware. We have elected to use a
very common controller that is still being developed by 3rd
party/after market suppliers -- the "nintendo entertainment system"
game pad. The problem is that we can buy the NES controllers from 1000
sources, they are easy to find, but we can't seem to find a SINGLE
supplier on the planet that manufactures or sources the FEMALE
connector socket that would go into our printed circuit board. The
socket is very similar to a standard molex connector has 7 connections
and has a top row with 3 connectors, and a bottom row with 4
connectors. There are 200 companies that make NES "clone" game
systems, and ALL OF THEM use these female sockets mounted in the
printed circuit board (in one mechanical variant or another), so
people can plug in any NES compatible controller. We find it hard to
believe that all 200 companies have built their own mold and had to
make the connectors themselves.

So my question is, I need one or more sources of the original NES
female PCB mount sockets, so we can buy in Qs of 1000 - 10,000 at a
time. The source of course has to be verified, be real, and
contactable, etc. so our buyer can buy the parts. We have tried all
the obvious distributors like digikey, mouser, etc. and even
distributors that specialize in connectors like yamaichi, no luck
anywhere, thus far.