At this year’s E3 conference, Nintendo revealed their line of NFC figurines. The toys, called Amiibo, will be able to function in a variety of titles across genres ranging from Kart racing games like Mario Kart 8 to fighting games like Smash Bros. For Wii U and 3DS. Each figurine will store data from the games they’re used with in order to encourage the purchase of both toys and software. So, while Activision’s Skylanders may have gotten the NFC ball rolling a few years back, it’s clear that Nintendo plans on using that momentum to keep these figures trending for a while.
Understandably, competitors are busy thinking up their own ways to cash in on the lucrative approach to aftermarket sales. Near-field communication is nearly standard in cellphones now, and within a few years, a majority of the population will carry it on their person. As a result, developing NFC figures for games is now more accessible than originally imagined. Perhaps this is why stores are seeing an increase in products like The Angry Birds Telepods figures. It’s nice to see companies keen on experimenting with the concept. It makes it seem that no genre is really off-limits. That said, one genre in particular stands out as the perfect match for the new technology.
Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas like Riot’s League of Legends seems like a logical fit. MOBA is a genre that is, for the most part, free to play and exists primarily on the PC platform. Most MOBAs can run on affordable hardware, and a lot of them make their money through the sales of hero characters, skins and other in-game purchases. In fact, League of Legends has over 90 characters currently available for purchase. Admittedly, it would be a bit much to expect Riot to produce that many figures since their franchise is already a dominating force within the genre but there definitely seems to be some undeniable advantages to incorporating NFC figures into a game like League .
By selling figures in traditional stores, a company would be able to take advantage of in-store marketing , pre-orders, impulse buying, cash purchases, suggestive selling, and customers who prefer paying for a physical product. If a figure looks cool enough, they could potentially sell it to people who don’t even have an interest in playing that particular character. Honestly, they may even be able to sell figures to people who aren’t really that interested in playing the game in the first place. It’s certainly possible, anyway.
But what might these NFC figures contain beyond the simple ability to unlock the character they represent in game? The most logical assumption is that they would store player data like game stats and custom builds but who knows what an innovative company could come up with? Develop a smartphone app or a usb receiver for PC and the possibilities really open up for this type of content.
Of course, it’s not a flawless system and there would be kinks to work around. Some players may, for example, be hesitant to buy a new character without knowing how it plays. It’s important to note that the presence of NFC figures doesn’t have to negate already established MOBA systems like League’s free champion rotation. Players could easily try out digital versions of the character before deciding to commit to them. If it was deemed preferable, the company could even sell digital versions of the character for those who have no interest in figurines. It doesn’t have to be a matter of one or the other, and the addition of NFCs could be handled in a way where everybody wins and nobody is alienated.
As mentioned before, it would be a massive undertaking for Riot to incorporate an idea like this into their design. But for newer MOBAs with far fewer champs, like Smite , or for new IPs, it may be an idea worth considering. This is especially true In instances where the MOBA already features popular characters, as is the case with Infinite Crisis , a MOBA positively riddled with DC properties. At this point, it may just be inevitable that the future of MOBAs and the future of NFC figurines will one day cross paths in some capacity. And if they do, do you think gamers will willingly embrace the idea or will they reject it as just another silly gimmick? I, personally, can’t even begin to hazard a guess.