Animal Crossing: New Horizons

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons
File:Animal Crossing New Horizons.jpg
North American box art, featuring the game's setting and cast of characters
Developer(s) Nintendo EPD
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Director(s) Aya Kyogoku
Producer(s) Hisashi Nogami
Series Animal Crossing
Platforms Nintendo Switch
Release date(s) March 20, 2020
Genre(s) Social simulation
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer, online multiplayer

Animal Crossing: New Horizons[lower-alpha 1] is an upcoming life simulation video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch video game console, scheduled for worldwide release on March 20, 2020. It is the fifth main series title in the Animal Crossing series.

Gameplay

As in previous installments in the Animal Crossing series, New Horizons is a nonlinear life simulation game played in real-time. The player assumes the role of a customizable character who moves to a deserted island after purchasing a vacation package from Tom Nook, a raccoon character who is a staple of the series.[1] The game proceeds in an open-ended fashion as the player explores the island, and develops it into a community of anthropomorphic animals.[2] Similar to the 2017 spin-off title Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, the game introduces a crafting system that allows the player to convert materials into tools and furniture, which can be used to decorate the game's interior and exterior spaces.[3][4] The game will allow the player to customize the appearance of their character at-will, and will not lock specific hairstyles or facial features to specific genders.[5] Players will additionally be able to select their character's skin color, a feature introduced in the 2015 spin-off title Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer appearing for the first time in a main series Animal Crossing title.[3]

Nook Miles, a new in-game currency earned by completing various tasks, can be used to purchase premium items.[6] Players will be able to invite animals to live on their island, and will have the option to choose or influence where the animal constructs their home.[7] The game's weather will also adjust to the seasons of the Northern or Southern Hemisphere, depending on the player's real-world location, a first for the Animal Crossing series.[6] Another first is the addition of windy weather, which will be expressed in the movement of the leaves on the trees.[8]

New Horizons will support both local and online co-op gameplay, with up to four players locally and eight players online able to occupy an island at a given time.[3] The game will not connect directly with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, though there will be collaboration items between the two games.[7]

Development

Development of a new main series Animal Crossing title for Nintendo Switch was confirmed in a Nintendo Direct on September 13, 2018, with an unspecified 2019 release date.[9] Nintendo released the game's title and first trailer at its E3 2019 Nintendo Direct on June 11, 2019.[10] The company also announced that the game would be delayed until March 20, 2020, stating, "to ensure the game is the best it can be, we must ask that you wait a little longer than we thought."[10] Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser cited a desire to avoid crunch and maintain a healthy work–life balance for Nintendo employees as the primary reason for the delay.[11] Nintendo's stock market value posted a 3.5% loss in reaction to the delay, amounting to a total loss in value of more than US$1 billion.[12][13]

Director Aya Kyogoku and producer Hisashi Nogami stated that they selected a deserted island as the game's setting to differentiate from previous Animal Crossing titles, which are set in established villages, and to allow greater freedom for the player to customize the game's world.[4] Isabelle[2] and Mr. Resetti have been confirmed to appear in New Horizons, though Resetti will serve a different and as of yet unspecified function, as the game's autosave function removes the ability to reset the game.[14]

Related media

A tie-in manga series, Atsumare Dōbutsu no Mori: Nonbiri Shima Dayori (lit. Gather Animal's Forest: Carefree Island News?), began serialization in the manga magazine Ciao on December 28, 2019. Written and illustrated by Minori Katō, the series follows Hana, a villager who moves to an unpopulated island.[15]

Notes

  1. ↑ Known in Japan as Atsumare Dōbutsu no Mori (Japanese: あつまれ どうぶつの森?)

References

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  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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