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But the social media announcements have amplified these baked-in incentives, likely resulting in a greater number of players sticking with the game longer than they might have with past titles that weren’t “updated”-or promoted-the same way. Animal Crossing games have always had a natural engine for investment via its seasonal structure the game evolves in real time, enticing players to regularly log in for at least a full year to experience every holiday, catch every fish and bug, and witness how their island reflects the real-world change in seasons. And while releasing new content is a logical business practice consistent with the gaming industry as a whole, Nintendo is underestimating how the distinct circumstances of the game’s launch have magnified the psychological burden associated with revisiting the islands that some-maybe most-of us abandoned at some point in the last eighteen months.Īlthough a full-price release, A nimal Crossing: New Horizons has nonetheless functioned similar to “games as service” free-to-play games like Fortnite, using regular content updates-announced via Nintendo’s YouTube channel and social media accounts-to encourage players to stay invested in the game. Last month, the company announced the game’s final free content upgrade and the Happy Home Paradise paid downloadable content, both designed to convince those of us who haven’t visited our islands in a while to return (and spend $30 while doing so). Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.īut now, Nintendo wants you to come back to New Horizons.