Nintendo's amiibo figurines have been among the hottest collectibles since launching last year, but that doesn't mean they've been handled well. Nintendo has been known for constraining supply to increase demand, but this time around, Nintendo has admitted to some wrongdoing in its recent statement.
We understand how frustrating it can be at times if consumers are unable to find certain figures, and we apologize for that. We're trying to meet the demands of our fans and consumers by increasing the amount of amiibo we manufacture and ship to retail…We are constantly looking for the opportunity to reissue amiibo and are already making plans to bring back some currently out-of-stock amiibo figures.
A part of the amiibo shortage can be attributed to west coast labor disputes, which according to a recent Nintendo Q&A, says that "the ports have been crowded and the discharge of cargo has been delayed over the past six months."
However, that doesn't excuse what many Nintendo fans have called a lack of communication, to put it nicely, on amiibo figurines. When GameStop put out a statement about the shortage of its exclusive Ness amiibo, Nintendo of America merely retweeted it and did very little else. On that, Nintendo acknowledges room for improvement:
Nintendo plans to make it easier for consumers to know when new amiibo are on the way, through Nintendo press announcements, timely updates on our social media channels and working closely with retailers.
I don't believe Nintendo was prepared for the popularity of amiibo, and given the numerous additional waves of amiibo they have announced, I'm dubious that the company is giving itself enough time to catch up with its existing amiibo lineup. But I suppose that, in a certain light, that's a good thing… though I'm sure amiibo hunters like Ryan would beg to differ.
