After the E3 2021 Nintendo Direct was wrapped up, many Animal Crossing: New Horizons fans were likely wondering why the title was not mentioned in any of the company's official announcements or presentations. But while it wasn't part of its E3 presence, in a recent interview, Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser reassured the public that more content will come for the massively popular life simulation title.
Although it launched two years ago, Animal Crossing: New Horizons continues to maintain its player base by cycling through a variety of seasonal events and introducing new time-limited items for special holidays. Not only that, ACNH’s popularity has crossed into many real life brand partnerships through stuffed toy maker Build-a-Bear, and even fast fashion brands like Uniqlo and H&M. With the consistent demand for the title, it's not surprising to hear that Nintendo will continue to support Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
During the interview, Bowser talked about the role Animal Crossing: New Horizons has played during the global pandemic. Not only has the game been integral in keeping up social interactions, especially during a time where everyone is stuck at home, but the game has also been a factor in the shifting player demographics around the world. Bowser mentioned that there has been an increase in casual players, with more women playing video games on the Switch. Most of these new players would often use a game’s online features, which has been seen in ACNH and more recently, Capcom’s action role-playing game Monster Hunter Rise.
Bowser also specifically mentioned that Nintendo still has many activities planned for the 33 million people who have played and still play Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This lays to rest any speculation that Nintendo is stopping support for the title, given how long it has been out in the market. However, with the current ACNH events calendar seemingly full, fans are likely wondering what else the developers can add to a video game that already has a full calendar.
Nevertheless, Animal Crossing: New Horizons fans will likely appreciate the efforts that Nintendo is putting into the title. Though adding new villagers to the island might be a long shot, players are likely still holding out hope that other Animal Crossing characters will make appearances in New Horizons. Fans will simply have to wait for Nintendo’s official announcements to find out what type of content will be made available in the future.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is out now exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.
Source: The Verge
