The Switch 2 Nintendo Direct event has been one of the most anticipated showcases of the year. Officially announced back in January, the Switch 2 confirmed the long-awaited arrival of Nintendo's next generation. The hour-long broadcast covered a lot of ground. From hardware specs to game releases, a lot of Nintendo fans were left with a robust offering on the horizon.
However, not every Nintendo fan got jaw-dropping announcements. When it comes to the cozier side of gamers, the Switch 2 showcase may have been disappointing for many. Nintendo's go-to cozy exclusive franchise, Animal Crossing, was nowhere to be found, and it could prove to be a huge missed opportunity on the company's part.
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Despite All the Switch 2 Has to Offer, Animal Crossing Fans Have Seemingly Been Left Out
The Wait for a New Animal Crossing Game Continues
There was no clear way to know what was in store for the Nintendo Direct event, but if there was ever a perfect stage to announce a fresh Animal Crossing game, it would have been the Switch 2 showcase. It's now been five years since the last game launched, and in that time, the future of the Animal Crossing series has been a big question mark.
Nintendo hasn't really hinted at any plans for the next title in the long-running cozy franchise. Last year, there was a series of leaks and rumors that made some truly bold claims about a New Horizons follow-up, but these reports have yet to be confirmed by Nintendo. Since the company hasn't addressed the claims, all reports about the next Animal Crossing game should be taken with a heavy dose of salt. The months of speculation likely gave a lot of cozy gamers false hope that a new Animal Crossing was a shoo-in as a launch title. Unfortunately, that has proven not to be the case.
The Switch 2 launches on June 5 and is priced at $450 or a $500 bundle that includes Mario Kart World.
New Horizons' Missing Spot On the Switch 2 Roster
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons isn't even getting an upgraded Switch 2 port.
- The Switch 2's backward compatibility still allows Animal Crossing fans to play New Horizons on the new console.
On the bright side, future Switch 2 owners will still be able to play Animal Crossing, thanks to the system's backward compatibility, but the lack of an official upgraded version of New Horizons is shocking. Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, and a variety of other titles are set to get official Switch 2 enhanced versions, but New Horizons is missing, at least for now.
A popular leak about the next Animal Crossing claims that the game will be far more focused on multiplayer than previous entries, but this remains to be seen.
Animal Crossing Fans Need a Win
Of course, it's possible that there will be an enhanced version of New Horizons for the Switch 2 down the line, but excluding the franchise from the Nintendo Direct event feels like a bad omen. The Switch 2 may even be a sign that the console is planning to partially shed its predecessor's cozy haven reputation. With FromSoftware bringing an exclusive game with The Duskbloods, Nintendo may be aiming to capture a different audience this time around.
The Switch 2 is still fresh out of the oven, so this is purely speculation. However, it will be really intriguing to see if the Switch 2 leans more into less-cozy offerings. Animal Crossing has been a Nintendo staple, so its absence is deeply disappointing, but as the year continues, there will hopefully be an update that turns out more promising for fans of the franchise.
- Brand
- Nintendo
- Operating System
- Proprietary
- Storage
- 256GB internal / MicroSD
- Resolution
- 1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- App Store
- Nintendo eShop
- Wi-Fi
- Yes