If you’ve been wondering why that Marth figure is so hard to find, you’re not alone. Nintendo’s Amiibo figures have been a hit with collectors, with the company announcing new sales figures today.

According to Bloomberg, Nintendo announced at an investor briefing that 5.7 million figures have been shipped worldwide. The company will be releasing a new wave here in the United states in the coming weeks, with a brand new line of Super Mario Bros.-inspired figures also coming.

The figures work in a number of games, including Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart 8, Hyrule Warriors, and upcoming titles like Mario Party 10. For more on Nintendo’s financial standing, check out our report from this morning. We've reached out to Nintendo to confirm the number, since the company hasn't released it in print yet.

[Source: Bloomberg]

Our Take

This is a strong start for Amiibo, but Nintendo has some work to do in order to make this viable in the long-term. The first step is to ramp up production to meet demand. People will drift away from collecting if they continue to face obscene secondary market prices.

The company also needs to create an Amiibo-centric game. Right now, the figures are auxiliary. Putting them in a central role would transition this initial burst of interest into a long-term strategy.