With rumors circulating that the next Animal Crossing game may be announced soon, there are several features that Nintendo should consider taking advantage of. The alleged Switch 2 could see Animal Crossing going in a new direction, while also maintaining the classic elements of previous installments. Specifically, there's one opportunity that Nintendo should add to the next game.

It seems very likely that Animal Crossing will receive a new installment sometime in the future, especially if one considers how successful Animal Crossing: New Horizons was. However, even though the franchise is lauded for putting out some of the best cozy games in the genre, Nintendo should take a page out of other studios' playbooks in order to appeal to an even wider audience.

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Animal Crossing Needs a Robust Trading Market

Despite the fact that the first Animal Crossing game was released in 2001, twenty-two years later the series doesn't have much in the way of a trading market. While players can trade items with villagers and other NPCs in New Horizons, it's fairly limited and depends on whom they are trying to make an exchange with. For instance, Timmy and Tommy can accept a wider variety of items like fossils, fish, and insects, but Leif the Sloth can only accept weeds, flowers, and plants.

Although there is an option to trade wares such as bells and Nook Miles tickets with other players, the game could be doing so much more with these features. At the moment, Nookazon, a fan-made website, serves as the solution to this problem since its users are able to list items and peddle with ease. In 2020, the Washington Post reported that the site had an impressive 270,000 active daily users, nine million listings, and over seven million visits a day. Though it's been a few years, it's clear the website is home to an active and sizable community. Still, Nintendo could easily negate the need for a third-party platform by making in-game trading markets a reality.

Games such as Stardew Valley, Mineko's Night Market, and Ooblets allow players to sell and buy items at a market, although without the use of a community-made network. While the latter two games are single-player, Animal Crossing can still learn from them. After all, a recurring trait in each of these titles is the option to sell or buy objects in a set bartering area such as shipping chests, stalls, and player-owned stores.

The Japanese-inspired night market in Mineko's Night Market is a great example of how Nintendo could implement a proper market into its next game. It serves as the perfect place for players to put goodies up for sale that they've crafted or scavenged while browsing items from other NPCs. Players can even haggle with the villagers, much like in Ooblets. Perhaps the only downside of the night market is that it has to be unlocked through a quest and is only open on Saturdays.

A future version of Animal Crossing could benefit from letting people do business at stalls, though it could also include the option to pay with Nook Miles or Bells. Negotiations could also become a large part of the trading market seeing as it's already a part of Nookazon. Users could also make counteroffers until both players come to a set agreement.

Unfortunately at the moment, it's unclear if Nintendo is considering trading markets for the social simulation series. Of course, the next Animal Crossing could already be in development since rumors are circulating that the title will be announced within the next year. Nevertheless, if stalls and markets are implemented, Nintendo could very well attract even more players to its flourishing community.

Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing is a Nintendo-exclusive life sim franchise spread across numerous Nintendo consoles. Featuring anthropomorphic villagers, strong customization, and a real-time day cycle, the Animal Crossing series offer unique and varied gameplay.