I thought about how Nintendo could making profit with iOS- and Android-games without giving too much revenue share to Apple, Google and Amazon.
Apple wont allow a Nintendo-controlled eShop on iOS... it could work on Android (Nvidia has its own TegraZone), but most Android users won't pay usual Nintendo game prices. And I can't see Nintendo give up control over their software in the hands of Google, Amazon (free app a day) or Apple.
If they are smart, they could offer some Nintendo games in the iOS-AppStore and Google Play Store for $0.99 each, which are essentially only a game demo. The 33 cent for each download (30%) should keep Apple/Google/Amazon happy. If the full version of the game could be unlocked with in-app-purchases, Apple/Google/Amazon would get 30% of that too.
But what if the only way to unlock the rest of the games is the amount of amiibos you register to the device? Nintendo could have "Tier 1" games, which all are unlocked with 1 amiibo, "Tier 2" games which require 2 amiibos and so on. The total software costs for that games would be a bit disguised, since you also get some nice figurines and each Amiibo unlocks several games, not only one title. And there would be a bargain effect: "Mom, I already have three amiibos registered for my other games. With only ONE more I can unlock the two new games"... throwing good money after bad ;)
Apple/Google/Amazon wouldn't get a share of the Amiibo revenues... okay, retail stores would get a tiny share, which would keep them also happy in a world going digital.










