Nintendo’s Miitomo is beating Facebook at gathering personal data

The release of Nintendo’s first mobile game, Miitomo, largely caught the world off guard. Not merely because it’s so unique, but also because people either seem to love it, hate it, or sometimes both. Regardless of their opinion, more than 3 million of them have already downloaded it, and the numbers are growing fast.

While the game industry mulls over what Miitomo is, marketers should take close notice, too, because the app manages to effortlessly scoop up a data set that is pure gold. To understand what I’m talking about, we can start with how the game works. You first create an avatar (or pull your Mii over from Nintendo’s consoles and handheld systems). You can personalize its appearance in a variety of ways, including buying different outfits to wear. Next, you add your friends from social media. Finally, it starts asking you questions and shares your answers.