TL;DR
After years of speculation and delays, Nintendo has finally opened pre-orders for the Mineru's Construct amiibo from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, featuring articulated arms — a first for the amiibo line. The figurine, representing the game's fifth Sage, has been one of the most requested collectibles since the title's May 2023 launch, and its release signals Nintendo's continued commitment to its physical toy line nearly a decade after its debut.
What Happened
Nintendo officially launched pre-orders for the long-awaited Mineru's Construct amiibo on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, as reported by Nintendo Life. The figure, which depicts the Zonai construct housing the spirit of Sage Mineru from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, marks a significant milestone as the first amiibo to feature fully articulated arms — a design innovation that allows the figure's limbs to be posed independently.
Key Facts
- Pre-orders for the Mineru's Construct amiibo went live on May 12, 2026, via Nintendo's official store and select retailers, with a $24.99 USD price point.
- This is the first amiibo to feature articulated arms, a departure from the traditionally static or single-jointed figures in the line.
- The figure is based on the Zonai construct body inhabited by Sage Mineru, the fifth and final Sage players unlock in Tears of the Kingdom.
- Tears of the Kingdom launched on May 12, 2023, meaning this amiibo arrives exactly three years after the game's release.
- The Mineru's Construct amiibo was first teased in concept art within the game's Collector's Edition art book, fueling fan demand for a physical release.
- In-game, scanning the amiibo is expected to unlock Zonai device materials and construct-themed gear, following the pattern of other Zelda amiibo.
- This release follows Nintendo's pattern of staggered amiibo launches for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, with the Divine Beast amiibo and Guardian amiibo similarly arriving years after their respective games.
Breaking It Down
The arrival of the Mineru's Construct amiibo three years post-launch is a curious but calculated move by Nintendo. While amiibo have historically been tied to game launch windows to drive day-one sales, Tears of the Kingdom has already sold over 20 million copies as of early 2026, according to Nintendo's latest financial filings. This suggests the company is now treating the figure as a collector's item for an established fanbase rather than a marketing tool for new players.
The three-year gap between Tears of the Kingdom's release and this amiibo's pre-order window is the longest delay for any first-party Nintendo game's complete amiibo lineup — surpassing the two-year wait for the final Super Smash Bros. Ultimate figures.
The articulated arms feature is the headline innovation here. Previous amiibo, such as the Wolf Link or Rider Link figures, offered limited posing through swappable parts or base adjustments, but none have offered ball-jointed or hinge-based articulation. This shift suggests Nintendo is responding to the collector market's demand for display flexibility, a trend that has driven the success of third-party figure lines like Good Smile Company's Nendoroids and SH Figuarts. If the Mineru's Construct figure sells well, it could open the door for more poseable amiibo in future waves — potentially including re-releases of classic characters with updated engineering.
On the software side, the amiibo's functionality is likely to feel underwhelming for a 2026 audience. Tears of the Kingdom is a finished product with no planned DLC, meaning the figure's unlockable content — presumably Zonai capsules, construct horns, and Zonaite gear — is already obtainable through normal gameplay. Unlike the Majora's Mask Link amiibo, which unlocked exclusive armor sets in Breath of the Wild, the Mineru's Construct figure offers convenience rather than exclusivity. This positions the amiibo as a pure collectible for completionists, not a gameplay necessity.
What Comes Next
- Shipping and street date: Nintendo has not announced a specific release date beyond the pre-order window, but based on typical amiibo production cycles, expect shipments to begin August–September 2026. Retailers like GameStop and Best Buy will likely update product pages with a firm date within 2–4 weeks.
- Scalper activity: Given the figure's three-year anticipation and limited production runs for Zelda amiibo (the Guardian amiibo sold out within hours in 2017), scalpers are expected to target this release. Nintendo may implement per-customer limits or pre-order windows to mitigate shortages, but secondary market prices could hit $80–$120 USD within the first month.
- Future Zelda amiibo: This release could signal Nintendo's intent to complete the Tears of the Kingdom amiibo set. Observers should watch for announcements of a Purah amiibo or a Demon King Ganondorf figure, both of which were featured in promotional art but never released.
- Nintendo's amiibo strategy post-2026: The Mineru's Construct figure's articulated arms may be a test bed for a broader amiibo redesign. If successful, expect Nintendo to apply this engineering to upcoming figures for Metroid Prime 4 (targeting 2027) and the next 3D Mario game.
The Bigger Picture
The Mineru's Construct amiibo release sits at the intersection of two broader trends in the gaming and collectibles industries. First, the persistence of physical merchandise in an increasingly digital gaming landscape. While game sales have shifted overwhelmingly to digital downloads — Nintendo reported that over 50% of Tears of the Kingdom sales were digital by late 2024 — physical collectibles like amiibo continue to generate significant revenue, with the amiibo line having sold over 80 million figures worldwide since 2014. This suggests that tangible nostalgia remains a powerful driver for fan spending, even as games themselves become intangible.
Second, the articulated arms feature reflects the convergence of action figures and video game merchandise. Traditional toy companies like Hasbro and Mattel have struggled to compete with gaming-branded collectibles, but Nintendo's willingness to invest in premium engineering — ball joints, hinged limbs, and die-cast components — positions amiibo as a hybrid product that appeals to both gamers and action figure collectors. If Nintendo scales this approach, it could disrupt the $10 billion collectibles market currently dominated by Funko Pop! and Bandai's Tamashii Nations lines.
Key Takeaways
- [Three-Year Delay]: The Mineru's Construct amiibo arrives exactly three years after Tears of the Kingdom's launch, making it the longest gap between a game and its final amiibo release in Nintendo's history.
- [Articulated Arms Innovation]: This is the first amiibo with fully posable arms, signaling a potential shift toward premium engineering in Nintendo's toy line.
- [Collector-First Strategy]: The figure offers no exclusive in-game content, confirming it is designed for collectors and completionists rather than gameplay enhancement.
- [Scalper Risk]: Limited production and high demand will likely drive secondary market prices to 3–5x retail, echoing the Guardian and Twilight Princess HD amiibo shortages.
