The Skylanders video game and toys is an interesting concept as it allows gamers to not only collect physical toys, but they are also able to use these toys in the game. Considering that Skylanders was actually outselling other action figures according to a report from last year, it didn’t come as a surprise when Nintendo announced their Amiibo figurines earlier this year.
Nintendo’s amiibo, the upcoming interactive figurines for 3DS and Wii U games, might not be limited to first-party games. Nintendo is currently researching ways its third-party partners, including independent developers, can integrate the figurines into their games in 2015 and beyond. “We’re having those conversations and we’re still early on because amiibo isn’t even going to launch until later this month,” licensing manager Damon Baker told IGN a press event yesterday. “We’re excited to see how that pans out but there’s a ton of interest from our third-party partners and we’re looking at what makes sense in terms of business models and levels of integration. There are really creative ideas that are coming through and we are working towards some opportunities for next year.”