The Animal Crossing series has always been popular, but the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons took it to an entirely different level. Nintendo gave players unprecedented control over their island and its people, and consistently expanded its content throughout 2020. It was the perfect game to get players through the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was made even better with the release of Happy Home Paradise. Animal Crossing: New Horizons has helped cement this franchise as one of Nintendo's biggest, but that success may be impossible to follow.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons was unlike any Animal Crossing before it, and it went a long way in redefining what this series can be. While there is a ton of potential for a follow-up, the sheer scope of New Horizons could hurt future titles. Nintendo has already delivered what some consider the ultimate Animal Crossing experience, and that has created some lofty expectations for what comes after.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Will Be Hard to Beat
Animal Crossing: New Horizons was not a perfect game, but it is easily the best entry in the series. It was met with universal acclaim upon release and would end up selling beyond expectations, Players flocked to the colorful world that Nintendo created and stayed for the virtually limitless creative freedom that it offered. It was unlike anything Animal Crossing had done before and has set a high bar for social simulator games.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons was an impressive game, but it may be impossible for Nintendo follow up on it. It did almost everything right, and the only reliable way to improve upon it would be to make it bigger. The next Animal Crossing needs to give players even more freedom, put them in a larger sandbox, fill it with even more characters, and somehow give them a reason to make the jump over.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons also came at an incredibly unique time when everyone was stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its success is largely attributed to the stay-at-home orders because it was the perfect game to get players through that time. They could ignore what was happening in the real world and design their perfect island oasis instead. People hosted weddings in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as well as graduation ceremonies, political campaigns, protests, and a talk show. It helped make Animal Crossing a household name, and it is something that future titles will likely not benefit from.
Animal Crossing has always been a popular series, but Animal Crossing New Horizons took that popularity to new heights. Before New Horizons, the best-selling Animal Crossing game was New Leaf.New Leaf sold around 13 million copies during its lifetime and became one of the best-selling 3DS games. New Horizons has sold around 42 million copies since release, which means millions of new fans have jumped onto the series. These new fans bring new wants and needs with them, and those expectations may be hard for Nintendo to match.
Nintendo will have to craft an even bigger and more advanced title if it wants players to give it a shot. While diehard Animal Crossing fans will likely take the next game for a spin, the general audience may require a bit more convincing. Players have spent so much time in New Horizons that they may be unwilling to make the switch, and if the sequel does not have the same level of creative freedom, then it may fall flat. Nintendo needs to do all it can to ensure that does not happen, but it may already be a losing battle.
Animal Crossing New Horizons is available now on Switch.
