Is the Toy to Life Fad Over?

The toy to life craze swept through gaming in the mid-2010s. When the amiibo figures launched alongside Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, I remember finding a figure for the Wii Fitness Trainer and literally buying it without hesitation. Why? Everyone was collecting rare figures. I kept up with collecting for a bit, but as more figures released, I gave up. A lot of other people did too, as amiibo are a lot easier to find now then they were before. Is the fad finally over?

Disney Infinity failed to catch on, while Skylanders literally churned out dozens of games across consoles and platforms. The newest iterations of the game can even take place on tablets. Still, the popularity of toy to life figures seems to be dwindling, despite new amiibo coming out this fall for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Nintendo seems to fairly okay since fans love collecting merch from the company. Other toy companies like Funko don’t offer in-game compatibility but make a killing in sales. We might be in need of a revamp for this game format.

While many don’t consider toys to life to be an adult market, many grown-ups love the novelty of collecting figures of their favorite hobby. Collecting anything really has no age limit. In fact, many Funko collectors are older people living their nostalgia out through new releases and limited edition figures. Toys to life could be this way as well and it’s likely that it all depends on how much players get from buying the figures.

As we near a new console generation and the continued success of the Switch, what will companies offer gamers in terms of enhanced experiences? Do figures have a place in gaming or should they stay on the shelves? Let us know what you think the future of collectibles in gaming might be in the comments!