Bill Trinen on the amiibo name

Nintendo’s Bill Trinen recently spoke about the amiibo name while talking with TIME. Sadly, the exact origins are unknown.

Trinen told TIME that “amiibo” started in Japan. The “amii” part is associated with the sentiment of a friend in Japan, though the name as a whole seems to be a slight mystery.

Trinen said:

They came up with the name in Japan, and the ‘amii’ portion comes from a little something in Japanese that conveys the sentiment of friend, of playing with your friend. That’s what they’re really trying to convey with it. I think for us it sounds a little like amigo. That’s not the origin of the name, but it conveys the intent.

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