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[Forkball]

(This should've been Rowlet)

With news that Pokemon Sun and Moon are the fastest selling Nintendo games in both NA and Europe, the games having no amiibos or even amiibo functionality strikes me as a huge missed opportunity. It's not like they are halting new amiibos until the Switch is released, we just got a wave of new Mario ones and Zelda amiibos are coming out this week, despite there being no Zelda games this holiday.

So what happened? Did no one at Nintendo, Game Freak, or TPC even think of doing this? I know Pokemon is a weird thing where everyone has to turn their keys in the submarine, but to me they left a lot of money on the table. You could have an amiibo for each starter, Solgaleo and Lunala, and maybe even Z Move Pikachu. Boom, that's almost the price of both Sun and Moon. The amiibos didn't even need an important function. It could be a random item a day ala the lottery in the game, or maybe some special clothing. I know there's no dearth of Pokemon merchandise, but amiibo buyers are almost their own subset of Nintendo fan. There are people who won't buy Pokemon merch, but will buy Pokemon amiibos.

Do you think there will be Pokemon amiibos for the Switch version? What Sun/Moon amiibos would you like?

 

[purseowner]

Yep, I think Stars will have them.

Starters would make good amiibo, as would Mimikyu.

 

[espher]

The problem with Pokemon amiibo is there are so many goddamn Pokemon that figurines would be a nightmare. It wouldn't surprise me to see them do cards (like Animal Crossing) and then a small subset of actual figurines (maybe for the starters and legendaries, as you note), esp. when the Switch version comes around.

 

[Busaiku]

There's tons and tons of other Pokémon merchandise.

 

[Feral Gingy]

My bet is on Stars having them.

 

[Avixph]

I would hope not.

 

[Jawmuncher]

There's tons and tons of other Pokémon merchandise.

Not that could have given you in game goodies though.

 

[SilverLunar]

You can already get many sun and moon merch, you don't need amiibo.

 

[Bony Manifesto]

I suspect they'd be stepping on some toes at the very least, considering the Pokemon brand has always been licensed out to various companies looking to make toys, figurines and all sorts of tat.

 

[BooJoh]

I think GameFreak just does their own thing and Nintendo lets them since it makes them a ton of money anyway. Sun/Moon doesn't even have StreetPass, and this is a series that basically had StreetPass in BW before StreetPass existed.

I was hoping for amiibo functionality of some sort, but it's not really a big deal to me.

 

[engineer87]

Pretty sure they are making money with the z bracelet

 

[Neoxon]

I guess it may be because The Pokémon Company already had their own merchandising plans. That plus Game Freak usually does their own thing.

Maybe for Stars, Nintendo can try & push for Sun/Moon Amiibos. Though given that it's TPC, they may not be used much outside of Pokémon.

 

[Busaiku]

Not that could have given you in game goodies though.

I'm not saying there wouldn't be any benefit to amiibo, just that it's not something as necessary, when compared to other franchises.
For other games, amiibo may well be the only form of mass market merchandise they'd ever get. With Pokémon, there is so much stuff, that adding a few more toys, that are likely more expensive to produce than what's available now, won't add much.
In general, amiibo and Toys To Life sales are also way down.

So basically, I don't feel a lot of money was left on the table.

 

[Koppai]

Pretty sure they wouldn't be able to make enough to satisfy demand, which there would be a ton of.

 

[frankie_baby]

Not that could have given you in game goodies though.

 

[Avixph]

Why is the fist shaking? What do those waves represent?

 

[a harpy]

I'm not saying there wouldn't be any benefit to amiibo, just that it's not something as necessary, when compared to other franchises.
For other games, amiibo may well be the only form of mass market merchandise they'd ever get. With Pokémon, there is so much stuff, that adding a few more toys, that are likely more expensive to produce than what's available now, won't add much.
In general, amiibo and Toys To Life sales are also way down.

So basically, I don't feel a lot of money was left on the table.

Amiibo sales are down? I saw that Skylanders is way down but I haven't heard any news about Amiibos. I figured Nintendo would be able to keep it going strong. Even I have some Amiibos and I basically never turn my Wii U on and my 3DS is a Monster Hunter Machine.

 

[Busaiku]

Why is the fist shaking? What do those waves represent?

The Z-Ring vibrates/lights up in sync with Z-Moves in game.
It works through the game's sound.

 

[E_Darkness]

This doesn't give anything in game does it? It just lights up and shakes (pretty well apparently) when you do Z-Moves.

 

[CaviarMeths]

I suspect very little money left on the table, as Pokémon merchandise is already insanely lucrative. Releasing a line of amiibos would just be another option on the shelf for collectors.

 

[Neoxon]

Amiibo sales are down? I saw that Skylanders is way down but I haven't heard any news about Amiibos. I figured Nintendo would be able to keep it going strong. Even I have some Amiibos and I basically never turn my Wii U on and my 3DS is a Monster Hunter Machine.

To be fair, the Wii U is dead & the 3DS is on its last legs. Best to wait for the Switch before we make any guesses about Amiibo's future.

 

[CloakBass]

Remember Pokemon e-Reader cards?

I don't know what changed between then and now, but it seems like it would have been the perfect concept to reintroduce with Amiibo cards. Maybe TPC felt burned by the e-Reader cards? Maybe they don't like the idea of profit-sharing with Nintendo more than they already do?

Heck, they technically already did this with the Pokemon Rumble NFC figures:

 

[Banjotanooki]

I suspect very little money left on the table, as Pokémon merchandise is already insanely lucrative. Releasing a line of amiibos would just be another option on the shelf for collectors.

Does Nintendo even make money through Pokémon merchandise? Or does it all go to the Pokémon company?

 

[Already Torn]

I would stuff a Nebby amiibo in my bag

 

[Damn Silly]

Nintendo probably didn't want to run the risk of alienating non-New Nintendo 3DS owners.

Could definitely see them making them for a potential Switch version, and the time between now and then allow them to get a grasp on what Amiibo might prove popular.

 

[purseowner]

Why is the fist shaking? What do those waves represent?

 

[Zalman]

Does Nintendo even make money through Pokémon merchandise? Or does it all go to the Pokémon company?

Nintendo makes money off everything with the Pokémon name on it. They own the copyright and trademark.

 

[Avixph]

....

Heck, they technically already did this with the Pokemon Rumble NFC figures:

Aren't those technically amiibos?

 

[Avixph]

The Z-Ring vibrates/lights up in sync with Z-Moves in game.
It works through the game's sound.

Thanks.

Hhhehehehehehehehehe.

 

[rhandino]

Yes.

I want an amiibo series of the Starters, the Legendaries and the Tapus with movable parts.

 

[JoeM86]

(This should've been Rowlet)

With news that Pokemon Sun and Moon are the fastest selling Nintendo games in both NA and Europe, the games having no amiibos or even amiibo functionality strikes me as a huge missed opportunity. It's not like they are halting new amiibos until the Switch is released, we just got a wave of new Mario ones and Zelda amiibos are coming out this week, despite there being no Zelda games this holiday.

So what happened? Did no one at Nintendo, Game Freak, or TPC even think of doing this? I know Pokemon is a weird thing where everyone has to turn their keys in the submarine, but to me they left a lot of money on the table. You could have an amiibo for each starter, Solgaleo and Lunala, and maybe even Z Move Pikachu. Boom, that's almost the price of both Sun and Moon. The amiibos didn't even need an important function. It could be a random item a day ala the lottery in the game, or maybe some special clothing. I know there's no dearth of Pokemon merchandise, but amiibo buyers are almost their own subset of Nintendo fan. There are people who won't buy Pokemon merch, but will buy Pokemon amiibos.

Do you think there will be Pokemon amiibos for the Switch version? What Sun/Moon amiibos would you like?

Game Freak are against the idea of forcing kids to spend extra money to get content from games that should be in the games

Any amiibo usage would be spin-off only

 

[Bacon_Boss]

I think it'd be neat but I definitely wouldn't want actual pokemon to be the reward. I'd love to see:

Unique Outfits.
Unique Pokeball Reskins (Pikachu Themed Luxury balls etc)
Maybe teach your existing pokemon a move, which is basically a reskin of a current move (IE: Thunderbolt but with an animation just for pikachu)

I guess pokemon, but handing out shinies and stuff just seems like a lame way to cash in.

 

[Kyzer]

National Dex and Amiibo for Stars

 

[Xion_Stellar]

I hope that the only way that TPCi ever agrees to amiibo is if they don't offer anything exclusive or substantial in game. I still hate the concept of amiibo and I'm actually glad that Nintendo doesn't have full control of the franchise to force the concept upon the series.


If you collectors want your Pokémon figures so badly there are plenty of officially licensed toy makers who make them already because otherwise your asking for some form of exclusive dlc attached to these tangible figures.

 

[CambriaRising]

Game Freak are against the idea of forcing kids to spend extra money to get content from games that should be in the games

Which is why they split the pool of Pokemon between two full priced versions, right?

 

[CaviarMeths]

Does Nintendo even make money through Pokémon merchandise? Or does it all go to the Pokémon company?

TPC is basically just a brand management firm created to give equal ownership of the Pokémon IP to Nintendo, Creatures, and Game Freak. Nintendo is one third of that equation, and if I remember right, they also own a majority stake in Creatures too, giving them a pretty big piece of that pie. They also own the Pokémon copyright 100%.

They make serious bank off of Pokémon merchandise.

 

[Anth0ny]

yeah wtf

i don't get it

with pokemon go hype this was the year to do it

800 pokemon amiibo

 

[lupinko]

Not that could have given you in game goodies though.

I got many event Pokemon from buying cards to sandwiches to crackers.

 

[Busaiku]

Which is why they split the pool of Pokemon between two full priced versions, right?

You can get all the Pokémon without buying another version.
You cannot get amiibo content or DLC any other way.

 

[Malice215]

There's already plenty of Pokemon merchandise. Pokemon amiibos sounds like a good idea until you have to deal with limited quantities and scalpers.

 

[rhandino]

Which is why they split the pool of Pokemon between two full priced versions, right?

The myth that they do 2 ver. of the same game because DOUBLE SELLZ! is one of the gaming myths I long to see death one day...

 

[CaviarMeths]

Which is why they split the pool of Pokemon between two full priced versions, right?

This is mostly done to encourage interaction, as being played socially on trains and in classrooms has kept the series relevant for 20 years.

Double dippers are not the norm. You can go to the latest Media Create thread right now and see the dual pack being outsold by the single games about 20 to 1.

 

[JoeM86]

Which is why they split the pool of Pokemon between two full priced versions, right?

You do realise they don't intend for you to buy both versions, right? The intent is for you to have friends.

 

[PSFan]

Sun/Moon? I want amiibo figures of all 802 Pokemon. With that many Pokemon they could release them in waves like the Smash series. Except, they could keep going for a few years before they are all out. Then when they've released all 802, the next Pokemon gen will have started and they can release more.

They could market it with the Gotta Catch em all thing too.

You do realise they don't intend for you to buy both versions, right? The intent is for you to have friends.

I think these days more people buy both versions than not. And if the intent is still for you to have friends, why bother with the online stuff?

 

[Fireblend]

I wouldn't be against amiibos if it means I get a Popplio figure.

 

[Nocturnowl]

Scan amiibo, get shiny version of pokemon, boom.

I would buy anything Rowlet line, just saying.

 

[JoeM86]

I think these days more people buy both versions than not. And if the intent is still for you to have friends, why bother with the online stuff?

Don't mistake the vocal minority for the majority. The online argument is also weird. You can have friends and not be local...

 

[CaviarMeths]

I think these days more people buy both versions than not. And if the intent is still for you to have friends, why bother with the online stuff?

You would be wrong. And the online stuff is because it's 2016 and GF would be burned at the stake for not having it.

 

[Kyzer]

I play with my friends.

Online.

 

[Diprosalic]

I can't believe that after all this time people haven't figured out that GF does what GF wants when it comes to the mainline games.

I think these days more people buy both versions than not.

You are insane. It's a very very small minority who does that.