It’s been over five years sinceAnimal Crossing: New Horizonswas released for the Nintendo Switch. Release dates betweenmainlineAnimal Crossinggames range from two to seven years. Although these life simulation games don’t always debut as launch titles on new Nintendo consoles, they tend to be released early on in the console’s lifecycle.
However, while the gap between console releases and newAnimal Crossinggames is typically one to two years,Animal Crossing: New Horizonsbroke this pattern by releasing three years after the Nintendo Switch. Therefore, it’s difficult to determine whether a new installment for the franchise is currently in development, as Nintendo has not yet made this information public, and when it will launch. Regardless, it feels like only a matter of time, and if a follow-up toNew Horizonswants to make a strong impression, it should focus heavily on quality-of-life improvements.
Animal Crossing is a Staple of the Cozy Life Simulation Genre
The Next Animal Crossing Has to Keep Pace with the Genre It Inspired
Animal Crossingis, without question, a cornerstone of the life simulation genre and is one of Nintendo’s most successful IPs, behind franchises likeMario,The Legend of Zelda, andPokemon. As such, the nextAnimal Crossingwill likely arrive on the Switch 2. Unfortunately, the exact release window remains uncertain.
Notably, there has been a surge in cozy gaming titles over the past few years, ensuring that there is no shortage of relaxing and charming atmospheres for players to immerse themselves in.Animal Crossingcan be credited for inspiring many of the games that have, in turn, become its competition. Friendly rivalries can be healthy and even productive, which is essential when consideringpopular life simulation titleslikeDisney Dreamlight Valley,Hello Kitty Island Adventure, andPaliaare available on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
Quality-of-Life Features the Next Animal Crossing Needs Most
To keep pace with the others, Nintendo needs to consider fine-tuning specific mechanics that existed inNew Horizonsto streamline its gameplay. For instance,Minecraftallows players to craft itemsin bulk, which can eliminate the tediousness of crafting one item at a time.Disney Dreamlight Valleyoffers a similar feature, allowing players to cook multiple dishes simultaneously. The follow-up toNew Horizonscould take inspiration from this by allowing its player base to batch craft.
Likewise,Hello Kitty Island Adventure’s storage spaceis worth noting, because this game does not have an inventory limit. Not having to worry about a lack of space puts some players' minds at ease, particularly since there are often other features that require constant attention, such as completing quests and gathering sufficient materials for specific tasks.Animal Crossingdoesn’t necessarily need to go the infinite storage route. Still, Nintendo should consider enlarging the inventory to allow players to store and carry more items, especially in the early stages of the game.
Other quality of life features that could be improved upon or added include, but certainly aren’t limited to:
Hopefully, Nintendo will opt to share its plans for theAnimal Crossingfranchise in the near future. Though theSwitch 2 launch titlesare currently garnering the majority of attention, having an equally exciting line-up after this initial excitement has died down will be important. Still, with the powerful specs that the Switch 2 offers, the nextAnimal Crossingtitle is poised to be a success.
