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Kotaku article on bootleg Amiibo cards.

G

Grampa Simpson

Banned
Source: http://kotaku.com/the-bootleg-amiibo-business-is-booming-thanks-to-ninte-1795302254

With Legend of Zelda Amiibo figures perpetually sold out and fetching prohibitively high prices on eBay, many fans are turning to bootlegged “Amiibo cards” instead. Many sellers of these cards see themselves not as mere pirates, but as modern-day Robin Hoods, providing fans with the in-game content that Nintendo won’t sell them.

One seller from Etsy, a baker from South Wales who asked not to be named, says he started selling bootlegs in response to the rising prices of Nintendo’s figures.

“I refused to pay scalper prices,” he said. “It’s not fair; Nintendo needs to produce more stock otherwise people will seek other options.”
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My question is how does one make bootleg amiibo cards. I'm interested from a technical perspective.
 
Just a writable chip connected to an NFC device no?
Like that device that can store all Amiibo with the active one being user selectable.
 
My question is how does one make bootleg amiibo cards. I'm interested from a technical perspective.
Click to expand...
You do it with a NFC enabled smartphone.

On the subject, I really dislike amiibo locked content due this, if you want all Mario Kart skins you need to spend more than 200 USD, which is ridiculous, way worst than DLC.... Amiibo should be an instant way to unlock things, not the only one.
 
People were pirating the unannounced Zelda amiibo. Don't think it's just about stock, people just like to steal/get stuff for free.
Amiibo haven't been too hard to get outside of some of the Zelda ones but the content is repeated amongst a lot of them (all the Links are Link, for example, even if some Links unlock special stuff)
 
Huh, for some reason I thought amiibo tags were encrypted or something and not spoofable yet. Interesting. Seems like the next logical step would be an Android app that can spoof any amiibo on demand?
 
I own every amiibo save the animal crossing ones

I want these out of convenience. I can fit the zelda ones in my switch case and take them on the go. The figures are neat collectibles but they're super bulky and not as convenient to use.

I'd go bankrupt if nintendo sold amiibo card packs that were NOT animal crossing, I think.

They're losing money here by allowing bootleggers to compete with them.

James Scott said:
People were pirating the unannounced Zelda amiibo. Don't think it's just about stock, people just like to steal/get stuff for free.
Amiibo haven't been too hard to get outside of some of the Zelda ones but the content is repeated amongst a lot of them (all the Links are Link, for example, even if some Links unlock special stuff)
Click to expand...

There's also the convenience factor - you can easily hide 50 cards - not so much 50 figures.
 
corn_fest said:
Huh, for some reason I thought amiibo tags were encrypted or something and not spoofable yet. Interesting. Seems like the next logical step would be an Android app that can spoof any amiibo on demand?
Click to expand...

They're extremely easy to spoof. You'll see people have been playing with unreleased BotW costumes using these.
 
Honestly i don't mind people doing this Nintendo is pretty bad in restocking Amiibo. Still can't buy a Sheik amiibo in my country in europe after nearly 3 months...
 
wwm0nkey said:
Its actually super easy, you just need a phone with NFC compatibility, a particular type of NFC "sticker" and you can load an amiibo file onto that sticker.
Click to expand...

Given that I can buy blank NFC stickers on Amazon it appears, I may just buy some stickers and make my own once the BotW DLC drops. I wouldn't support people making and selling them on ebay/etsy though. I currently own the 5 BotW amiibo and a few others. I like them for art/collectibles, but I don't want to buy a tonne just to unlock parts of the game.
 
Can't believe they're being sold for £15.

They look kind of nice for a knockoff, but £15 for a card that's not even that difficult to make?
 
If only Nintendo would sell the content in DLC form as well while the Amiibo are for collectors and maybe the first way of getting the content.
 
Yeah I actually don't think there's anything wrong with this. Glad there's an option for people who can't afford to shell over a bunch of cash for scalped toys because Nintendo can't meet demand.
 
I would buy some officially licensed amiibo cards if Nintendo sold them. I don't like clutter and I don't really want amiibo figures hanging around so that would be an awesome compromise for me.
 
Honestly locking content behind Amiibo is the worst form of DRM we have ever seen. So I don't mind if people resort to alternative means. I would actually encourage it.
 
I won't support this by buying it but if Nintendo simply refuses to remanufacture Amiibo figures and continues to lock DLC behind them, then hell, have at it.

It's a shitty business practice and it's only a matter of time before someone got around to doing this.

Anti-consumer practice breeds anti-corporation response.
 
PorygonVandal said:
You do it with a NFC enabled smartphone.

On the subject, I really dislike amiibo locked content due this, if you want all Mario Kart skins you need to spend more than 200 USD, which is ridiculous, way worst than DLC.... Amiibo should be an instant way to unlock things, not the only one.
Click to expand...
Agreed, Amiibo serving as exclusive instant unlock keys is a horrible practice. Smash is the only game I can think of that uses them that makes sense for a physical object interacting with a game in a meaning ful way.
 
I refuse to buy any more junky little plastic statues to clutter up my home, but Nintendo refuses to sell the locked away content as digital DLC on their store.

This interests me greatly.
 
I saw them today for the first time and was wondering how folks can sell these custom-made Amiibo cards without legal battle.
 
benicillin said:
Yeah I actually don't think there's anything wrong with this. Glad there's an option for people who can't afford to shell over a bunch of cash for scalped toys because Nintendo can't meet demand.
Click to expand...
Considering the files needed are taken off of actual Amiibo and then dumped on the Internet for others to use, I would say there is something very wrong with this from that perspective.

Now if you owned the Amiibo and extracted the files needed from the Amiibo, that seems fine, if it's for your own personal use, perhaps. That may fall under the right a software owner has to backup a ROM or ISO from a piece of software they own, for their own personal use or backup.
 
Shiggy said:
I saw them today for the first time and was wondering how folks can sell these custom-made Amiibo cards without legal battle.
Click to expand...

I imagine for the same reason bootleg toys can still be sold. Now why can bootleg toys be sold? No idea.
 
The only reasons that this is acceptable is if the Amiibo has been discontinued and thus Nintendo cannot make money from said product anymore. Oh, and they don't offer the content through digital DLC, which to my understanding they don't.

That's it. If you can buy the Amiibo online or in store in your region from reputable sources this is straight up wrong. Nintendo has offered this DLC as a 'bundled deal' with an Amiibo.

Now, if you cannot get said item anymore, by all means, you're not hurting anyone but third party scalpers. And even then, a lot of people like them for their collect-ability, so it's whatever.
 
PdotMichael said:
If only Nintendo would sell the content in DLC form as well while the Amiibo are for collectors and maybe the first way of getting the content.
Click to expand...


If only that content that is included would be an ingame reward...



Grim Patron said:
A win for preservation!!111
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Well yeah, as opposed to what you believe, preservation is important. And having game content locked behind something that is out of stock or depends on a physical limited print toy just sucks.
 
Quonny said:
The only reasons that this is acceptable is if the Amiibo has been discontinued and thus Nintendo cannot make money from said product anymore. Oh, and they don't offer the content through digital DLC, which to my understanding they don't.

That's it. If you can buy the Amiibo online or in store in your region from reputable sources this is straight up wrong. Nintendo has offered this DLC as a 'bundled deal' with an Amiibo.

Now, if you cannot get said item anymore, by all means, you're not hurting anyone but third party scalpers. And even then, a lot of people like them for their collect-ability, so it's whatever.
Click to expand...

Fuck Nintendo, I don't want to own little plastic clutter just to get content in my video game.

Until Nintendo offers Amiibo bonuses for purchase on the eShop this is 100% acceptable in my book.
 
molnizzle said:
Fuck Nintendo, I don't want little plastic junk just to get content in my video game.

Until Nintendo offers Amiibo bonuses for purchase on the eShop this is 100% acceptable in my book.
Click to expand...

Morally, I don't care. Nintendo is stupid locking this stuff behind Amiibo and it definitely should either be offered as DLC or just put in the damn game.

But this is essentially piracy.
 
molnizzle said:
I refuse to buy any more junky little plastic statues to clutter up my home, but Nintendo refuses to sell the locked away content as digital DLC on their store.

This interests me greatly.
Click to expand...
Same. I kinda want the content, but I absolutely hate the idea of Amiibo. Nintendo won't get any money from me for these stupid things.
 
I mean, if people's only option is to pay a scalper for something or do this, I can't say I have any problem with it morally speaking.
 
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