The reason why Nintendo put the brakes on amiibo

When Nintendo released the first amiibo, they never imagined what would happen. Since that November 2014, the date on which interactive figures from Mario, Link, Pikachu and other historical figures of the company, the fervor for these statuettes has not stopped growing. What began as an extension of Super Smash Bros is today one of the most followed trends in the industry. Whether you play or not, it’s almost impossible to resist the allure of these amiibo. For this reason, today we analyze the reason for the sudden stoppage in the creation and production of one of the star products of recent years.

The rise of novelty

At that time Nintendo was not to shoot rockets. The poor reception of Wii U, a system that time has been able to reward, caused the company had to work against the clock. After the overwhelming success of the Wii, a console with over 100 million units sold, from within the company they did not understand what was wrong with its successor. For this reason, they were forced to look for alternatives and new ways to reconnect with an audience that was turning its back on them. Fruit of that brainstorming were born the amiibo, some interactive figures that gave a twist to the recent history of Nintendo

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At first they focused on the characters of Super Smash Bros for 3DS and the aforementioned Wii U. In the first batch, of twelve characters, the company sought to offer options that would cover the tastes of all players. Thus, apart from those mentioned at the beginning of the article, other historical ones such as Yoshi, Peach, Kirby o el Aldeano de Animal Crossing they landed that same November 28. During the following months, new characters would be part of the different batches that were arriving on the market. In just under a year, nearly 100 amiibo were available in stores for those lucky ones who, with luck on their side, could get their hands on one.

The initial success of the line of Super Smash Bros caused Nintendo to broaden its sights with its new goose that lays the golden eggs. In March 2015 the first figures of Super Mario, the most iconic license of the brand. After this they debuted splatoon, Yoshi’s Wolly World, Skylanders, Animal Crossing (which also introduced letters) and even an amiibo series dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Super Mario. And all this, as you can see in the official websitein less than twelve months.

Year after year, the fame of these figures was increasing. Since its debut, every major Big N release has come with an amiibo under its arm. That is why proposals such as Monster Hunter Rise

O Metroid Dread, to name a few of the most recent, to have their own dedicated line is no surprise. Beyond its value as an aesthetic element, the importance of figures within certain games is key. On many occasions, owning one will give us access to exclusive content that cannot be obtained in any other way. However, despite its fame and its advantages, we see less and less articles of this type.

Nintendo knows that amiibo is not an unlimited source

The main reason for this sudden stop is obvious: they are no longer a novelty. When they debuted almost 8 years ago, the possibilities were endless. Super Smash Bros, Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda and other iconic sagas of the franchise could benefit. For this reason, the big N did not hesitate and began to launch lines featuring these sagas. But, so much time later, it is logical that options are running out. Although for this, as they have already shown on many occasions, fans always have ideas.

Although Nintendo dedicates most of its amiibo to its own series, it always has room for a guest of honor. This, for example, has led to the existence of figures such as Solaire de Astora (Dark Souls

), one of the most loved by users. Such was the passion for it that, in addition to run out instantly, many took the opportunity to imagine what other collaborations could be carried out. And, to no one’s surprise, licenses like Hollow Knight O Super Monkey Ball They took the cat to the water. Also, others like Undertale, Final Fantasy or classics like Golden Sun and Chrono Trigger They are always among the most demanded. Therefore, even if they focus on new releases, it never hurts to consult what they already have on hand.

As you may have already read a few paragraphs ago, these amiibo also have exclusive utilities within certain games. Thus, a figure of the classical line of Ocarina of Timefor example, will give us access to cosmetics Breath of the Wild that can only be achieved like this. And, like this example, many others that we could apply with numerous titles. To get the most out of these amiibo, Nintendo knows it has to prepare its works for it. Perhaps this reason, added to the major component crisis, are to blame for the sudden stoppage of this phenomenon. Be that as it may, in the coming months we will see the new additions to the line of Super Smash Bros and, who knows, possible hitherto unknown figures accompanying Nintendo’s biggest releases.

And you, do you like amiibo? What franchise do you think should have its own series or expand the one it already has? We read you in the comments.