[christoph]

Nintendo are clever with how they limit the availability of some Amiibos. The real value of the Amiibo is really in the actual collectability/rarity of the figurine. You can then make the figure more collectable as time goes on my linking it to specific, valuable in game rewards. All giving more value to brand Nintendo as time goes on.

What's a real stroke of genius though is that they make the packaging in a way so that you can't scan the Amiibo without unboxing it - therefore reducing it's monetary value. You end up with the real Nintendo fans feeling very compelled to purchase two of each - 1 for keeping boxed and 1 for actually using in games.

[pdkl95]

> Nintendo are clever with how they limit the availability

Creating a market for scalpers is "clever"? This is one of the most efficient ways to create (even more) toxicity in the gaming community. Add premium items and severely limiting their availability means they are trying to create "have"/"have-not" classes that resent each other. A brand isn't going to increase in value if everyone starts associating the brand with community infighting and toxicity.

--

Incidentally, HN readers may like Jim Sterling's episode about amiibos from a couple years ago. Warning: very strong language and rude gestures. Second Warning: the bit after the credits is very loud... and some might consider it designed to be as annoying as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE-orx_HTfE

[stordoff]

> All giving more value to brand Nintendo as time goes on.

Does it? Personally I find it extremely off-putting - pieces of content are getting locked behind expensive figures that I have no interest in owning, and that frequently aren't even purchasable from Nintendo anymore. Making your content difficult and expensive to acquire puts me off the brand as a whole.

Take Toon Link in the UK for instance. I can pay £16.78[1] to import it from the US, from a seller who has no reviews, or pay a ridiculous mark-up (£39.99 upwards[2]) and still end up having to use a third-party seller. Neither of those is a particularly attractive option.

[1] https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00Q6A57C4/ref=dp_... [2] https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B01M031XEJ/ref=dp_...

[eridius]

Why must "real Nintendo fans" keep a boxed copy?

[christoph]

I didn't phrase that well with the use of the word "real". I know some die hard Nintendo fans who purchase two of each Amiibo specifically for this reason. I don't know why, I don't have that same collecting mentality.

I guess it's for the same reason people buy all sorts of stuff and keep it boxed & unused - whether it's star wars figures or Nike trainers.

[khedoros1]

Collectors' items are often considered higher value when they're kept new-in-box. Someone who buys them as much for the collectibility as for the in-game use might buy two so that they can have their cake and eat it too (by buying two cakes).

[eridius]

Yes, but someone who buys items and holds onto them in mint condition for resale value is no more a "real" fan than someone who buys them for personal enjoyment.

[khedoros1]

Agreed, but I was answering as if you meant your question literally, rather than as if you were just nitpicking the other commenter's phrasing. Your implied meaning was just "I disagree with the way you're defining 'real fan'", but that's a pretty boring comment to respond to, so I took what I judged as the more interesting interpretation.