There’s a new update coming for “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” in January. This isn’t really news, I’m aware. There are actually two updates coming, one free and one paid, although for a mere pittance ($5 for the Switch 2 update, assuming you already own the Switch version). But likely you already know all of this.
What I’d like to discuss instead is why we’re getting this update, especially after Nintendo stated quite publicly a while ago that the last big update for ACNH (2.0, to be specific) would be the last. Players tossed down their money ($25 for the update outright, or “free” if one subscribed to the top tier of the Nintendo Switch Online service), and the game regained a lot of its original popularity for a while. Nintendo won, fans won… Everyone was happy.
But now we have the Nintendo Switch 2, right? While ACNH was not a release title for the Switch, it was nonetheless one of the biggest hits for that console… Mostly due to good timing, coming out during the start of the Pandemic. But I know that there have been significant discussions among the fans as to when a new “Animal Crossing” game would come out.
Well, here it is. Or more to the point, here it comes, next January.
Now I’m not saying that Nintendo doesn’t ever plan to release a new AC game for Switch 2, not at all. But let’s be honest… There aren’t a lot of release titles for the Switch 2, are there? I suspect that any plans for a new “Animal Crossing” title are years away from release, much like ACNH came out three years after the original Switch was released.
So for Nintendo, how do they get a “fresh” edition of “Animal Crossing” out to fans sooner rather than later, that will help push sales of the Switch 2? The simple answer, in the short term anyway, is that they don’t. I suspect that a year ago or so, Nintendo had some discussions regarding this very question, and settled upon the easiest answer: Create some new content for ACNH, and work on ensuring it will run well on the Switch 2, with upscaled graphics, etc, etc. Give it away to current users, charge a nominal fee for players coming to the new system, all for one important goal:
To keep “Animal Crossing” fresh in the minds of fans, and giving them a reason to buy the new system… especially for the holidays. I expect they would have loved to get this update out before Christmas, but mid-January is close enough.
Of course this isn’t Nintendo’s only plan for pushing their new console, not at all, but it’s a big one. This resolves, at least for the short term, the thirst “Animal Crossing” fans have for a new game. It also helps sell more Switch 2 consoles, especially in the crucial holiday season.
Hell, it has me considering buying not one but two Switch 2 consoles – One each for my wife and I. My sweetie thinks it’s not exactly the right time to be making this sort of purchase, but I know how much she loves ACNH, and our Switches are both rather old now…
