Note: my gaming blog is still under construction after switching hosts, so I also posted this on my old Animal Crossing tumblr if you would like it in a slightly more aesthetic format.
On the eve of the first Switch 2 Direct, where we’ll learn details about Nintendo’s next console and some launch titles… I don’t expect the next Animal Crossing game to be announced for launch, but I have (maybe foolish) hopes. Keep reading for my logic on this timeline, and what I’d like to see in a new game!
And, listen, my timeline logic can be sound… so much so that I’ve, maybe mistakenly, convinced a number of friends and acquaintances that they should expect a new game soon. But let’s think about it: New Horizons released in March 2020, and continued support and updates for a year, culminating in the Happy Home Paradise DLC on October 15, 2021. However, the beefiest updates to New Horizons, excluding the final one, all happened in the first six months… and most of those updates were focused on holiday events and adding in features that were in previous games (see: swimming). While I was happy with what both the base game and free updates (not to mention the paid DLC) included, I still feel like they didn’t properly take advantage of the game’s hype to really make it last. (My personal wish was for more multiplayer features, like Tortimer’s Island.) A lot of fans were disappointed by the game’s staying power (or lack of) and unexciting updates. But what if the reason for those lackluster updates was because they were already working on the next entry?
New Leaf was released in 2012, with the huge, unexpected Welcome Amiibo update in 2016. This gap (2012-2020) is the longest stretch between base games, but not actually the longest time frame when it came to development. New Leaf started development before City Folk, the 2008 title on the Wii, was released. I wish I could cite the exact date, but my 2014 tumblr sources are coming up short. I would like to say that development on New Leaf started shortly after Wild World’s release (2004), but you’ll have to take that with a large grain of salt because I’m only going off memory at this point. (If you have sources that pinpoint actual dates, please let me know!) If we assume a starting point in the middle of the two releases (2006), that gives us 6 years of development before New Leaf’s release.
“But 2012 to 2020 is still longer,” you may say, being no slouch at grade school artihmetic. And you’re right about that! But after New Leaf’s release, the team was assigned a new, exciting project for the Wii U: Amiibo Festival! Okay, just kidding, they were working on Splatoon, Nintendo’s exciting new IP that launched in 2015 and received free updates for a year after that. Also, yes, during this window, Amiibo Festival and Happy Home Designer launched, plus the aforementioned Welcome Amiibo update in 2016, but the majority of the team was focused on our favorite squid game.
With that in mind, the timeline moves New Horizons’ development into a much shorter block: 5 to 6 years if we’re being generous (assuming they started at all before Splatoon’s launch, which I don’t think they did). Maybe even 4, if they worked on the Welcome Amiibo update before starting on New Horizons. But, with all that backstory, let’s get back to New Horizons, its development schedule, and why we may just see a new Animal Crossing game tomorrow (or soon).
New Horizons was originally slated for a 2019 release, but was pushed back that year to its infamous release date of March 20, 2020. (Remember all the Doom x Isabelle memes before the world shut down that week?) Nintendo of course wanted a release of one of its most successful IPs on one of its most successful consoles — but between Splatoon’s development and already having their eyes towards the Switch 2, New Horizons unfortunately got the shaft in development. (For those curious, after Splatoon took off in popularity, it got a separate development team for Splatoon 2 and 3, so Animal Crossing was its team’s sole focus after 2016.( Assuming that Nintendo already planned for a Switch 2 launch around 2025 (give or take a year, you know how things go), and knowing that each Animal Crossing game (minus New Horizons) has taken about 6 years of development… New Horizons’ delay and lackluster updates could both be attributed to the team already being assigned to the next Animal Crossing title in 2019 for the 2025 (+/- 1) Switch 2 launch. New Horizons was already so late in the Switch’s lifespan, so it makes sense that they’d want to get the next iteration out early in its successor’s life. (Maybe not at launch, a girl can only hope, but at least soon.) Getting the new title ready for the console’s launch day is much more important than an arbitrary launch date 3 years into a system’s life. No delays accepted here, but New Horizons being delayed was fine.
(Plus, Animal Crossing was featured twice in the “Nintendo Today” segment in last week’s direct, when other games were only shown once.)
So, that’s my conspiracy theory and hopes and dreams for tomorrow. We’ll see if I’ve put 2 and 2 together correctly, or if I’m just obsessed with Animal Crossing. (Yes.)
Now, all that said, here’s a list of (some of) what I personally want to see in the next Animal Crossing, whether it’s announced tomorrow or not. I was honestly pretty good with my wishlist and predictions for New Horizons, so we’ll see how I do this time!
- Animal Crossing in space. I don’t expect this anytime soon, but my ideal game is a mix of Animal Crossing and No Man’s Sky. Everyone has unique biomes, flora, and fauna to explore and trade… but you’re still building up a cute little village with animal neighbors. This could also be a nod to Gulliver’s story in earlier games (and the movie!), where he appeared in an UFO.
- But really, different biomes (even if it’s a set number and type). I thought we were getting this with New Horizons, but even the addition of different hemispheres didn’t change much. But it would be so nice if we could make a mountainside home that remains snowy most of the year, or a desert with sand dunes and native succulents instead of pansies.
- Observatory! This is forever on my list of things to bring back. With the addition of the Southern Hemisphere, we could look at and learn about real world constellations, and it gives us incentive to make or visit Southern Hemisphere villages. (Plus, it gives more of a utilization to that lackluster feature introduced in New Horizons.)
- More multiplayer and minigame features! Tortimer’s Island was notably missing in New Horizons and was one thing pretty much everyone expected to be added in at some point (but never was). My ultimate dream would to be able to have a co-op village with online friends, but even just bringing back the balloon pop (my favorite!) and other games on the Tortimer’s Island would be a great step. I’d also love more minigames with the villagers beyond the scavenger hunt and High Card, Low Card (I miss hide and seek!). Honestly, the lack of minigames/multiplayer opportunities is the reason many people stopped playing as quickly as they did. Even as a devoted player, it became a single player game for me long before New Leaf ever did, once my friends and I all got bored with just standing on each others’ islands wishing on stars.
- Vehicles. Inspired by Go-Go Town!, i was originally opposed to this idea but I think it can be done right, especially if the town is bigger in area (please!). This can be as simple as a cute bike to get around town faster. (The Mario pipes, although limited in use, are so helpful in getting from one end of town to the other quickly.)
- New villager types! I’m still rooting for bat villagers, and nocturnal villagers in general would be great for people who work off shift and have more time to play late at night but don’t want to change their game clock, etc. Additionally, while I love the 8 core personality types, I would love more personality uniqueness, like mixing essences/traits from Pocket Camp with their personalities to show a little difference between villagers of the same personality type. My absolute dream would be a “Create a Villager” type feature, but I won’t hold my breath for that one.
