One can only partially predict what will be a smash hit in the gaming industry. It doesn’t matter if it’s consoles, handhelds, the games made for the systems, or the accessories used to support them. You might think you know what will be a hit, but you’re just guessing until the gamers accept it and embrace it. A great example is the Amiibo figures that Nintendo brought out during the Wii U era. They were revealed during a trailer for Super Smash Bros For Wii U/3DS and were to be simple figurines that could bring in fighters, record data, and unlock benefits for gamers.
From the word “go,” fans flocked to stores to get these figurines. There was even a market out there in the initial days for “misprints” of the figures because they had deformities that somehow got approved. Over time, the quality and look of the Amiibo grew, and collectors wanted to get one of every model. Their purpose evolved over time, as they were soon the focus of entire games across IP, like Animal Crossing and Mario Party. Even now, in the days of the Switch, they serve a purpose for games like Splatoon 3 and Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
But given that we’re now almost two console generations deep with them let’s ask the question, how many of these figurines have been sold? The answer comes from Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, who revealed in a financial briefing that the sales of the Amiibo passed 77 million. The figures launched in 2014, so for them to reach such sales in under a decade is very impressive.
But that wasn’t the only piece of news that Furukawa had to give. Not only did he talk about the sales figures, but he also noted how the company would continue to release the figurines every year—indicating that there are new Amiibo to be released alongside future games.
We know that the Super Smash Bros Ultimate Amiibo have yet to be fully released, as certain fighters from the second DLC pack have yet to get their release dates given. But what other games could they attach these figures to?
The answer is quite simple, “anyone they want to.” They’ve done these figurines for 1st and 3rd party games, including mega-hit titles like Monster Hunter Rise. It’s more about making quality figurines for the game and making it feel like gamers will get something special by purchasing one for the game or themselves.
Source: Nintendo
