Amiibo Cards and Reprints Hurt The Collector and here’s why.

it is not a surprise that Nintendo’s new Amiibo line is here to stay, but what is the reason behind its success? In a new report Nintendo stated that characters that have been selling out and less popular characters will be getting reprints and also redistribution as nfc equipped cards. To me this could undermine what is making the figures popular in the first place. The exclusivity, the rarity is what entices the 20-30 something to buy these figures; all in hope of being a collector. Once the figures become readily available or has their functionality undermined by card replicas the figures lose both physical value and value of meaning to the collector. Although there are exceptions the same kid buy skylanders is not the same guy who knows who duck hunt dog is. Nintendo has a very different audience purchasing these physical DLC figures. To keep those 30- 40 somethings you need to entice them with scarcity, if not that consumer will become as passive as the use of Captain Falcon in new Nintendo IP.