Highlights
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons may be getting an update or a new title in 2024, based on the game's usual release timeline.
- Features like dream addresses, terraforming, wetsuits, and The Roost should be included in the next game to enhance the player experience.
- Group stretching, a popular activity in the franchise, should also make a return in the next game, allowing players to exercise with their favorite villagers.
It's no secret that Animal Crossing: New Horizons has cemented itself as an incredibly successful addition to Nintendo's beloved life simulation series. However, come March 2024 the game will have officially reached its four-year anniversary. While it still has a dedicated player base, there are those who are eagerly awaiting news concerning an update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons or the announcement of an entirely new title.
Based on the three to four-year timeline between each mainline game, a follow-up to Animal Crossing: New Horizons should arrive in 2024. Though Nintendo hasn't confirmed if it has another game in the works, it's unlikely that the company is going to abandon one of its most profitable IPs. Regardless of whether the game is already in development or not, there are several remarkable features from New Horizons that the developers should consider putting in the next game.
Dream Addresses
Dream addresses were first featured in New Leaf in 2012 and allowed players to dream about other places after specifying a destination. This can be advantageous for a myriad of reasons, but it's mostly helpful for those who want to look around someone's town without waiting for them to come online or needing to be friends. Unfortunately, dreaming wasn't immediately available when New Horizons was released, but it's definitely a detail that should be ready on day one of the next game.
Terraforming
Terraforming in Animal Crossing is a newer feature that can usually be unlocked after about two weeks of gameplay. Landscaping is one of the biggest draws of New Horizons, as several players have been able to find satisfaction in being able to mold their islands to their personal preferences. The Animal Crossing community is well-known for their creative aspirations and terraforming is just another tool that allows them to express themselves. While the environment of the next Animal Crossing game is unlikely to be an island paradise, terraforming is a characteristic that is versatile in any setting.
Wetsuits
New Leaf took exploring the depths of the ocean to the next level by allowing people to don wetsuits. As such, when it was announced that the fifth main entry to the franchise would take place in a tropical biome, it wasn't surprising that the feature was brought back. If there are large bodies of water in any of the future installments, wetsuits are an engaging tool that should become a permanent part of the series.
The Roost
The 2005 Animal Crossing game, Wild World, introduced the player base to a cozy cafe known as The Roost. This location is run by the aloof pigeon Brewster who finds joy in serving his customers different blends of coffee throughout the day. In New Horizons, The Roost is an extension of the museum where villagers can socialize and enjoy a beverage together. This snug environment is one of the most aesthetically pleasing areas of the map that will hopefully come back in any adjoining games.
Group Stretches
While group stretching, also known as morning aerobics, has been a regular occurrence in the Animal Crossing franchise since the first GameCube title, it became even more significant in the 2020 installment. Of course, group stretching in Animal Crossing has evolved quite a bit over the years. For example, New Horizons added the option to use motion controls to follow along, rather than simply pressing the correct buttons. Getting to exercise with one's favorite villagers is a pleasant experience that needs to make a return in the next game.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now on Nintendo Switch.
