Nintendo puts Fire Emblem here, there and everywhere

Too many cameos and guest appearances or a smart franchise strategy?

When, in the late 90s, Nintendo was considering exporting their S-RPG series Fire Emblem to the West - while developing the first entry for Game Boy Advance - they weren't too sure as to how they could 'sell' the American and European audiences on the experience. The deep and challenging concept that Intelligent Systems had already released on both Famicom and SNES years ago was something they weren't sure would go down well with European and American players. An idea was born: "why don't we present Marth and Roy as playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Melee and see how the community reacts?" Said and done, the debut for the franchise outside of Japan was a cameo in the fighting game, and the popularity has exploded since then.

This tactic went so well that (almost) all subsequent main entries have come out in America and Europe, with Fire Emblem Fates for Nintendo 3DS setting new records in the US and the the multi-launch of Birthright, Conquest and Revelations releasing in Europe on May 20.

But in recent years, besides the success of the previous installment Awakening (also for 3DS), it seems that Nintendo has been turning out that good old cameo trick and has not stopped lending the Fire Emblem heroes to have guest appearances in other companies' franchises or mash-up titles.

Apart from the mandatory Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS (with series' Heroes and now the release of Fire Emblem Fates' Corrin via DLC), Marth, Chrom, Lucina and company have been recently seen in such different games as the just released 3DS S-RPG crossover Project X Zone 2, the upcoming crossover JRPG Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE for Wii U or, as the latest announced guest appearance, in the new adventure game Monster Hunter Generations, also for 3DS, which once again will feature armour/costume:

What do you think of Fire Emblem sneaking into so many external games? Do you think it adds in order to expand franchise's popularity or it might dilute the strength of the main series instead? Leave your comment below.