Amiibos

[Ktiger41]

That and importing Japan region ones is like dirt cheap and they are region free. Americans are so dumb.

I mean, these aren't long or short card walking dead figures or anything.

[Cookie Monster]

That and importing Japan region ones is like dirt cheap and they are region free. Americans are so dumb.

I mean, these aren't long or short card walking dead figures or anything.

The hardest to get aren't available there either..

[Ace Ventura]

My buddy just imported Villager, Captain Falcon, Fox, Wii Fit Trainer, and Marth all from Japan. Kind of sucks because there are no amiibos around our area anymore. Even the new ones that were just released. :/

[Takion Sun]

Rant time. Get yourself a drink, maybe some snacks, settle in. This could be a long one.

Is it just me that's getting kind of fed up with the state of game retail lately? I remember a time when something new would come out, and you could take a few days to shore up your finances to get it if you needed to. Even if you did get there a little too late, they'd always assure you to check back soon when they'd be getting a new shipment. Nowadays, you can hardly turn around without them being out of stock, and all you're told is that they don't know when, or IF, they'll get anymore. Let me illustrate what I mean.

Recently, Zelda: Majora's Mask was re-released alongside the new Monster Hunter 4 Unite and the New 3DS. Each game had a special edition you could buy for a fairly good price. Only problem was, they sold out of them in about fifteen minutes on the day of release. Fifteen. Minutes. So if you decide to get up and do some crazy thing like, say, go to the bathroom or take a call, you're screwed and now you're at the mercy of some shady scalper charging a $300 markup + shipping. Bullshit. I eventually settled for the regular versions, but even then I barely had time to get them. In fact, I got the very last copy of Majora--and this was on the day it was released!

Another recent example: Amiibos. The super-cool digitally-integrated collectible figures Nintendo rolled out, planning for them to take the world by storm. And I suppose they did--within days, the new line of them was gone, meaning your only option is, once again, some internet scalper, charging as little as double or as much as ten times retail price. Your only hope is that Nintendo says they might consider producing more. Isn't this kind of inexcusable for a toy line?

Now I'm not going to sit there and complain that I should be able to buy an item that's in demand any time I please after it comes out, or that they should produce far more than is demanded so that I can have mine, but I don't think I should have to keep my finger constantly on the pulse, glue myself to my computer screen day and night, and stake a place out to even have a chance at getting something. It's kind of unfair that I have to lose my chance just because I was at work or school during the extremely limited window to buy.

So what gives? Are there really just that many gamers nowadays chomping at the bit to get these? Is Nintendo deliberately underproducing to stimulate demand? Is there really some shadowy cabal of scalpers who'll control the supply like this from now on? And most importantly, is there anything we can do about it? I just want to buy some games without making a military stakeout mission of it.

[deadlegion]

AU special edition is like $120-170 on ebay. Quite a few sellers. The market isn't huge here as the population isn't massive, I can't see why people would be charging $300+ in places where more copies are available

The business with Amiibos is just plain retarded though.

[Gypsy]

Yeah dude, shit's a bitch now. You have to PREORDER some stuff to even get it...

The issue is there is a very fine line between supply and demand with this crap. Take HDN Rebirth 1 and 2 LEs. First one was suuuuper limited and ended up commanding the $250+ prices that scalpers love so much. They made some undetermined number more of the 2nd game. It's now been out for awhile now, and was still in stock until quite recently. The problem is rabid collectors allow the complete assholes that order 20+ Pikachu 3DS systems to win. Now, it doesn't always work out. I know someone sitting on 10 copies of the Theatrhythm CE. Basically, by buying out a bunch of the stock, these people create artificial demand. We have now seen plenty of times where a CE temporarily sells out, goes berserk on Ebay and then goes back in stock. Tales of Xillia 2 CE is exhibit fuggin A. It was scalping for $200+ before release but then if you had waited, you could have snagged one in the $70 range if you don't mind a warehouse copy on Amazon.

Just don't give into the scalpers. When you do, a kitten dies, and they win.

PS I'm STILL bitter about NNK.

[Takion Sun]

AU special edition is like $120-170 on ebay. Quite a few sellers. The market isn't huge here as the population isn't massive, I can't see why people would be charging $300+ in places where more copies are available

I should have been more clear. I was referring to the special edition New 3DS systems. These, for instance:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nintendo-New...item3aa2f83238
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nintendo-New...item20f6f3bc6b

Though still, what you listed is $70-$120 more than retail.

EDIT: Holy shit, even better:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nintendo-Zel...item3f476d5b79

[Gypsy]

I should have been more clear. I was referring to the special edition New 3DS systems. These, for instance:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nintendo-New...item3aa2f83238
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nintendo-New...item20f6f3bc6b

Though still, what you listed is $70-$120 more than retail.

EDIT: Holy shit, even better:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nintendo-Zel...item3f476d5b79

This is a fun game! Imma do one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pre-order-Ho...item20f676a8d8

Freaking assholes.

[deadlegion]

I should have been more clear. I was referring to the special edition New 3DS systems. These, for instance:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nintendo-New...item3aa2f83238
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nintendo-New...item20f6f3bc6b

Though still, what you listed is $70-$120 more than retail.

EDIT: Holy shit, even better:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nintendo-Zel...item3f476d5b79

Fair enough, I thought you were saying the SE game had a $300 markup.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Ninte...item3aa34cb1ff

[Elmdor Rizer]

"Amiibo's gotta avoid em all! It's you or me. I know it's a Smash Trophy!

Amiibo, ohhh your my waste of time, you will all not be mine!

Amiibo gotta collect em all it's not true, our shipments won't even come through!

You beat me or i'll beat you, Amiiiibo! Gotta avoid em all, gotta avoid em all. Amiibo!"

Made that up in 5 minutes

Don't quit your day job.

What are you people whining about anyway? Back in my days we made our own digital toys. Out of our own skin. And then we drank gasoline - just because we enjoyed the taste.

[Ktiger41]

I chuckle a fair deal at this amiibo thing and Nintendo not knowing how to properly make a number of product even though they have been in this business for decades.

I am now seeing amiibo's new and old waves no longer going for 50+, but rather near the 30-40 range. The market is busting on these things even on those artificially "extremely rare" ones. That, and people are probably finally importing like they should have been doing to have those scalpers who bought out cart loads of one figure to sit and have a tea party with all their sealed product.

Let's not even take into account the used amiibo figure market coming up on us very soon here. Gamestop's back wall is going to look like their Disney infinity stock with at least 40 pikachu's.

This scarcity thing is two fold. 1.) Nintendo probably can't estimate proper demand anymore. 2.) I heard on the news a few weeks back that the portsmen in California are on strike for higher wages and cargo containers and ships have been waiting forever to dock and unload. They are more than likely still on strike, because I have tracking numbers on items that I should have received a long while ago.

[Pokemongenius]

Don't quit your day job.

What are you people whining about anyway? Back in my days we made our own digital toys. Out of our own skin. And then we drank gasoline - just because we enjoyed the taste.

I don't recall being hired by anyone but if you have the money I'll work for ya XD jk of course.

You know what I don't seem to understand is why the Shulk Amiibo is an exclusive. Why would any of these figures need to be exclusive for?

This must be our fault for petitioning the release of Xenoblade in the states. Now that we made them do this there trolling us with this balogna.

On top of this there are gonna be other figures in the future like with Mario Party 10. So now I can collect 5 different Mario's... Ok I guess I need a lot of Mario figures in my life xP.

I'm content with my Mario Kart PEZ dispenser thanks. Amiibo's are not even exclusive to the New 3DS now that I heard wind of an accessory to take care of that on the old models.

So that means I get to spend less money weeeeeeeeeee! I hope that these Amiibo's will have something signature they unlock that will warrant there purchase in the near future.

And then Nintendo seizes making them!!! Amazon and Ebay for life XD! $100 per Amiibo coming in 2016! HYPE!