Summary
- Nintendo is likely working on a new Animal Crossing game due to the IP's success and historical release patterns.
- Speculation suggests the next game may launch on a new console, but regardless of when it comes, it needs to elevate gameplay to meet expectations.
- Bringing back the Moving Van feature from City Folk could allow players to transfer elements like Villagers to the new game, keeping the characters they worked so long to collect when they make the leap to a new area.
Although Nintendo hasn't officially announced the next Animal Crossing game, it's unlikely that such a hugely successful IP will soon be abandoned. Furthermore, considering the massive popularity of Animal Crossing: New Horizons in 2020, it's likely just a matter of time before a new installment is revealed. Historically, Nintendo tends to introduce a new Animal Crossing game every three to four years.
In addition to speculation that the next Animal Crossing game will likely launch on Nintendo's next console, there’s also increasing curiosity about how the developers can further elevate the gameplay. With the immense popularity of New Horizons, the upcoming installment will need to be truly outstanding to meet and surpass the ever-growing expectations of its player base. Fortunately, even though the next mainline entry appears to be extending beyond the usual four-year timeline, there is a surefire way to satisfy veteran players: the return of the moving van.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Ending Service Could Give the Next Mainline Game the Lion's Share
Though it's disappointing for dedicated Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp players to hear that the mobile game is shutting down, it could have benefits.
The Next Animal Crossing Title Should Revive A Popular City Folk Feature
Nintendo Should Embrace Classic Features That Made Animal Crossing Successful
While the next Animal Crossing game offers plenty of opportunities for variation, such as new locations and villager types, staying true to the series' roots is crucial for preserving the franchise's identity. For instance, though an ambitious setting deep underwater or on a planet in outer space is enticing, Animal Crossing could implement this while borrowing mechanics from its past games. In this way, players can experience the best of both worlds with new features combined with nostalgic elements.
A feature that Nintendo should consider bringing back is the Moving Van option, introduced in 2008's City Folk. This groundbreaking feature enabled players to seamlessly transfer villagers from their 2005 Wild World save file to the new game. In the City Folk introduction, Rover would inform players about this possibility, suggesting they could relocate their beloved villagers from the DS version. There, players had the option to start fresh or make a transfer.
"A feature that Nintendo should consider bringing back is the Moving Van option."
Notably, when a Wild World character is transferred, the new City Folk character will retain the player's original name, eye color, facial features, and hairstyle. As a result, Rover would not ask any questions when on the bus. Additionally, most furniture, wallpaper, flooring, clothing, accessories, umbrellas, and stationery from the Wild World catalog are also brought over via the Moving Van.
New Horizons Players May Not Have To Start From Scratch In The Next Animal Crossing Game
Impressively, Wild World was released on the Nintendo DS, the successor to the Game Boy Advance, while City Folk launched on the Wii, Nintendo's fifth home console. With speculation about a new Animal Crossing game potentially debuting on the successor to the Switch, it seems likely that the next installment will be on a new platform. Given that Nintendo successfully enabled cross-platform transfers via DS Download Play over a decade ago, incorporating a Moving Van option into the next mainline title seems quite feasible.
Additionally, New Horizons allows players to transfer island saves to a different Switch console. This process typically requires access to both the source and target consoles, though there is also an option to use island save data if it was previously enabled. Fortunately, the Island Transfer Tool is available for free download on the Nintendo eShop. With this existing technology and the Moving Van feature already used in City Folk, it seems that the technology needed for such transfers is well established.
Moreover, since many players have invested a substantial amount of time into New Horizons, it seems reasonable to offer them the option to retain some elements from the previous game. As Rover says in City Folk, "[players] have come a long way in this life. [They] can't just kiss that all goodbye." While there is ongoing debate about whether town layouts and customizations should be transferable, it would be a nice touch to at least allow players to keep the villagers they spent so much time searching for.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Released
- March 20, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Everyone / Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer
- Expansions
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Happy Home Paradise
- Franchise
- Animal Crossing
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
- How Long To Beat
- 100 Hours
