This past Thursday, Nintendo gave a sneak peek into what to expect in its new Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNL) update. New Horizons — and the Animal Crossing franchise as a whole — has charmed audiences for the last 20 years. But, despite ACNL’s successful 2020 launch, it’s lacked in the “new content” department. Needless to say, the fan community happily welcomed this long-awaited news.
Below, we’ll break down everything fans should know about the New Horizons update. Read on to learn what fans can expect from the release.
New Horizon’s Strong Beginnings
When Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released on the Nintendo Switch system in March 2020, it was insanely popular. Gaming communities from all around found comfort in the cute life-simulator — especially in the beginnings of the pandemic.
The latest game in the Animal Crossing franchise gave players a chance to fully customize their own tropical paradise. Plus, online access allowed users to explore their friend’s worlds, play mini-games, and interact despite government shutdown mandates.
Similar to gaming on PlayEdge, many found themselves spending countless hours with their friends in New Horizons, having a blast.
The widely popular game has been a fan-favorite for over a decade, coming out in its first version in 2001 on the Nintendo Gamecube. The community that loved this game celebrated the ability to enjoy a piece of nostalgia from their childhood when this most recent game was released.
A fiscal report released by Nintendo stated they sold over 22.4 million Animal Crossing: New Horizons during Q1 of the release year. Sales included game downloads, physical copies, and the limited-edition-themed consoles. This record-breaking release makes it the most successful Animal Crossing game to date.
This boom in sales caused a massive Nintendo Switch shortage. Many players purchased consoles solely to play this game. The pandemic could account for the game’s success, but the Animal Crossing community has long had a dedicated fan base.
This same period has been huge for PlayEdge, where record numbers of gamers have joined the platform over the last two years.
Nintendo’s Content Drought Causes Drop in Players
Unfortunately, New Horizons players have started dwindling in numbers due to a lack of new content.
Many players report that they simply ran out of things to do in-game, finding themselves bored. Some who have abandoned their game claim they see no reason to return. They feel they’ve exhausted every feature the game offers.
What Are the Latest New Horizons Updates?
Nintendo has teased a more significant update while simultaneously releasing a few seasonal content updates for fans.
Minor Seasonal Content
You can now get into the fall spirit with the cute (and spooky) autumn items Nintendo recently added. A majority of the Halloween content has been seen before, but three new things have joined the line-up, including:
- Spooky Treats Basket
- Spooky Tree
- Spooky Trick Lamp
These minor updates most likely aren’t enough to capture the interest of old players but will certainly keep current users happy until the upcoming big update.
Big News: Brewster Comes to Town
One of the most requested additions to the game is debuting in the next update: Brewster!
Brewster is a classy pigeon who serves up a mean cup of joe to the Animal Crossing villagers. He’s been a beloved attribute of the game, though he was notably absent from ACNL.
At this time, no further details are known, but fans eagerly anticipate his return. Nintendo promised to release more information sometime in October, with the update coming in November.
This addition to the New Horizons game will be the first major update since March 2021. Many Animal Crossing fans have simply had to look forward to holiday events and seasonal changes to stay entertained while awaiting updated content.
Is Brewster Enough?
While the news about the addition of Brewster has delighted fans, his previous versions came with little engagement. Despite his charm, he’s not known for having additional gameplay mechanics. With little information about the game update’s content, it is hard to tell whether it’ll bring players back.
Luckily, a teaser trailer insinuated fans should expect a little more from the quirky pigeon this time around. We’ll still have to wait a little longer to see what Nintendo has in store.
Keep Your Eyes Peeled for More Animal Crossing News
At this time, it seems that Nintendo will continue to leave fans on a cliffhanger. For now, folks can check out the seasonal and holiday-related updates as they wait for more news on Brewster. Nintendo promised an Animal Crossing-exclusive video direct to come later in October, though the exact date is not known. This direct will provide fans with additional release information and hopefully draw in those who’ve since left their tropical island. In the meantime, gamers can have fun on PlayEdge while they await more news.
