When Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched in 2020, it very quickly occupied my day-to-day life at a time when I needed it most, and I’m sure I wasn’t alone. Islands were decorated for birthday parties, graduations, and anniversaries, while islanders were exchanged for in-game goods, and we all obediently paid our dues for our newfound island lifestyle. It was a communal experience, and despite its flaws and missing features, for a moment it was the only game that really mattered.
But before long, the player base fizzled out, and waiting a few days for construction felt like waiting for a lifetime. After a few months of constant, almost 24-hour playing, I slowly lost the drive to sign in and complete my daily tasks, let alone fish for hours on end, or even fathom starting to terraform. It’s sad, really, considering that Animal Crossing has been one of my favorite game franchises for as long as I can remember. With that said, there’s something about Animal Crossing: New Horizons which I just can’t hack anymore, and I can’t help feeling like it’s a real dead end for the franchise.
