One of the greatest gaming success stories of 2020, especially in the case of Nintendo, is undoubtedly Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ relentless world domination. From its hugely successful launch to the present day, the game has broken sales records and captured players’ hearts with no sign of slowing down.
So how does Nintendo plan to keep this momentum going? We’ve seen many major content updates over the past few months as new features are added and seasonal changes come and go, so will these updates continue?
In an interview with Polygon, Doug Bowser, president of Nintendo of America, was asked about the future of the game. Two possible ideas emerged: a New Leaf-style approach where the same annual schedule is repeated before a larger update arrives, or a Pocket Camp approach where the game is constantly evolving. Here’s what he had to say in response:
“Yes, I see two possible avenues here, one that you already mentioned, and that’s our update schedule coming from the developers. And that could be around seasons, it could be around events, it could be around enhanced gameplay features. will continue as we proceed.
“I think the thing is very unique and different Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis also the [user-generated content], and people’s ability to really lean on user-generated content and make it available and share with their friends. And that does not happen with any cadence. That is an ongoing, constantly changing and evolving environment where people can visit each other’s islands and take advantage of that UGC, bring it to their islands and share it. So I think that’s another aspect that really strengthens the commitment to Animal Crossing over time. “
Echoing this response, Bowser clarifies that Nintendo is “definitely” seeing what kind of updates the game received during the first year.
So, in case you were concerned that New Horizons would slow down, it looks like the usual season updates and new additions will be making their way into the game for a while. As the game is fast moving towards the title of the best-selling Switch game of all time, it’s great – and probably expected – to see the development team continue their support, even if they have some confidence that players will play the game keep alive through their experiences.
Do you see yourself playing New Horizons in the coming years? Would a more significant update like the one from New Leaf be needed to keep you interested? Share your thoughts with us below.