Highlights

  • The next Animal Crossing may take a city route, offering new minigames and shops, building on past titles like City Folk.
  • A cityscape setting could provide immediate access to features like Brewster's café and enhance gameplay customization options.
  • The future of Animal Crossing looks promising with endless possibilities, potentially introducing a customizable cityscape for players to enjoy.

Questions surrounding the next Animal Crossing's location have grown since rumors of the Nintendo Switch 2, leaving fans excited about the possibility of an announcement soon. Speculation has suggested that the next Animal Crossing may go the city route, serving as a 180 from New Horizons' remote island setting while bringing in the potential for iteration from past series' titles, namely, City Folk. Among these rumors is talk of new minigames and shop functionality, and though this information has not been verified by Nintendo, such a theme would make sense from a number of standpoints.

It's no secret that Animal Crossing: New Horizons was an immense success, and for good reason. Between compelling graphics, cute dialogue, and an ever successful gameplay loop, AC:NH managed to make the most of its island topography to build a sense of community, even within its remote setting. Between its multiplayer features and abundance of villagers to search for, the title managed to be a satisfying entry in the modern era of the series. With that said, some discrepancies arose over New Horizons' approach to updates, or lack thereof, as features like Brewster's café and visiting merchants like Leif and Redd were only available after the game's release. A turn toward a city environment in the next AC, however, could make these features immediately accessible while working to enhance its gameplay.

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How a Full Animal Crossing Cityscape Could Work In Tandem to its Gameplay

Building on City Folk's and New Horizons' Features

Because of Animal Crossing: New Horizons' inherently remote setting, there were some natural restrictions on what was available on a player's island. Small shops like Nook's Cranny and the Able Sisters made sense as quaint offerings given the setting, though much of an island's topography was devoted to villagers' houses and decorations rather than buildings to explore. Of course, Blathers' museum was a fantastic example of getting to dive deep into a structure while seeing it grow through collecting fish, fossils, and insects, though its success begs the question of how buildings like it could go even further in the series' next title.

The 'traveling merchants' feature and Harv's Island were great ways to offer interaction and resources to the player while staying in accordance to New Horizons' theme, though a turn towards a full cityscape in the series' next iteration could build upon these features further. The same can be said for taking inspiration from Animal Crossing: City Folk, though rather than having to travel from a town into the city, having full control over a small sector of an urban area could give players the freedom expected of a more modern entry. New Horizons' Happy Home Paradise DLC gave players access to facilities like a hospital and apparel shop to design and establish, which could indicate that this may be a framework for the future.

Providing Even More Customization Options

Being able to manage shops and other facilities, while deciding where to place these buildings and how to decorate them, would tie perfectly into an urban setting while providing room for ample interaction. Such a design conceit has been considered as one of the next Animal Crossing game's rumors, and though this information has not been verified, there could be a lot of merit to this decision. Imagine a skyscraper with floors for each villager, allowing players to decorate suites for the characters who have moved in; shops like Shampoodle or a florist space for Leif could give the setting life while replicating the ambiance that comes from being in the heart of a city. Feeling more involved in the customization of these facilities would work in tandem with an urban setting, just as the natural resources of New Horizons' islands did, giving its NPCs even more of a chance to shine.

What The Future Holds for Animal Crossing

Following New Horizons, the options for the next Animal Crossing game seem virtually endless. Working from past frameworks set by the series, however, could mean that a customizable cityscape is just what it needs to bring the best of its NPCs, recruitable villagers, and design options. A more modern take on former facilities seen in games like City Folk, along with the abundance of customization that AC:NH set a new standard for, leaves the door wide open for the series' future success. Wherever the next title takes players, though, it's certain to be a compelling approach.