The franchise’s emphasis on patience will affect future New Horizons updates as far as game director Aya Kyogoku and producer Hisashi Nogami are concerned. According to an interview with CNET in April, they intend to give players a steady stream of updates for the next two to three years. These updates could see improvements in fishing and fossil-collecting as well and possible expansions to keep players entertained.
While this is all great in theory, some have grown tired of the game and bemoan the idea of slowly receiving updates. Among some grievances, players have found the game to be bland and lacking considering the years of effort placed into the game. Compared to previous AC titles, New Horizons doesn’t have a wealth of opportunities at the player’s disposal. And even if they were to eventually come, structural updates (such as the inclusion of Brewster’s) could undo carefully cultivated island layouts - a frustrating notion.
We’ve discussed the technical issues in New Horizon’s gameplay here. In short, a lot of the new features feel counterintuitive and the game has micro-goals that detract from a personalized experience. This is probably a little upsetting to longtime AC players who probably feel like they got more out of Pocket Camp than New Horizons. And anyone who’s been waiting for a proper Animal Crossing title since New Leaf.
So what happened? Was the game simply overhyped because it was our first AC game in years? Or did everyone collectively become sick of it and began to pick apart nuances Week Ten into quarantine? Probably both - imposed isolation and exposure to the game probably made us all more hyperaware and irritated by its shortcomings. It’s not a bad game, but it’s understandable why folks are bored and detest the idea of any changes that could threaten weeks or months of meticulous work.
Developers can redeem this game. First by using updates to fix some of the problems that players have noticed to make gameplay less awkward and more rewarding. Second, perhaps streamline any additional services as extensions of already established fixtures. Similar to the art gallery, Brewster’s can be added as additional space in the Museum. Additional shops can be substituted in favor of stands where characters can visit weekly and peddle their wares (like Kicks and Leif already do).
Who knows, maybe Nintendo already has these updates in mind and is waiting for us to be foaming at the mouth before they release them. Whatever the case is, let’s hope they’re taking their time to perfect what they have in store.
