Animal Crossing and the Stories it Tells
If someone were to look at Animal Crossing New Horizons sales numbers, it would be obvious that the title is a success. According to Superdata ACNH “sold an estimated five million digital copies in its launch month of March, setting a record for the most digital units of a game sold in a single month and making it March’s best-selling digital console title.” Those numbers are beyond expectations, especially when you consider the title released on March 20th. Those are figures that are likely more than Nintendo ever hoped for.
What those sales and records don’t tell you, is the deeper impact the title has had on its players. The franchise as a whole has been in AC fans’ lives since 2001. Fast forward 19 years later during a global pandemic, and the franchise is more mainstream than ever. With this phenomenon, we get more wholesomeness combined with more stories of the franchise as told by players. That is in short because New Horizons has become what will likely go down as one of the biggest reliefs during the most uncertain of times. What makes this game truly special is the impact it has had on its community, combined with the stories that grow beyond what the title ever intended.
There is no denying the impact of the Nintendo title, but why is this the case with such a “simple” game? At first glance, especially for new players, they don’t think much of it. That was the case for Michael’s girlfriend. “I told my girlfriend who also plays Stardew about this game and that she might like it. I offered to get a second switch so we could both play it and she declined. Fast forward to the night before it came out and I got to pick it up from GameStop. She saw me playing and tried it and wanted one of her own. That next day led to driving around for 5+ hours to get the last switch Best Buy had so she could play with me. Her town blows mine away!”
I can’t blame Michael’s girlfriend or others for having a skeptical view of Animal Crossing. When looking at the core concept and mechanics of the series, it simply shouldn’t be a fun franchise. Before you throw that sea-bass at me, hear me out. This is a game that glorifies doing chores. How many times as a kid or adult for that matter, have you woken up first thing in the morning excited to do errands? Pull weeds? Did you spring outside with your 4 Ball Tee ready to seize the day? I doubt it. With all the action-packed story-heavy games, for many, something is relaxing about having calming music, combined with objectives that are easily accomplished each day. Repetition and the mundane have never been such fun and for many, it can be the perfect getaway from real-life stress.
For Tammy and others like her in the airline or various struggling industries at this time, the mystery of what comes next would leave anyone in a bad spot emotionally and mentally. This is where the simple mechanics of Animal Crossing can be a soothing experience. “I was in the middle of it all. Being thrown into it with zero regards for our safety. Then suddenly they grounded us. Locked us all up in our accommodation. Not allowed to leave for two weeks straight. This caused so much chaos and I was in despair with high levels of anxiety. I decided on a whim to get AC. It kept my mind occupied. I drew a map of what I wanted my island to be. My sleep schedule is messed up because I have friends in North America and they’ve started playing too. I’m up till 4 am playing with them. Using the Nintendo app, we can voice chat and spend time together. I’m in a country where Skype is banned so this is a godsend. I wake up again at 8 am to check turnip prices. Go back to sleep. Wake at up 12. Check again. Sleep until 3 pm. I feel like I have a goal every day and it’s something to look forward to. I get excited to talk to my villagers. And also love our little community that we are making on social media.”
Who knew that speaking to your next-door neighbors could be so fun? I can’t speak for everyone but I can say I have barely spoken to people that have lived next door to me over the years. Put cute anthropomorphic animals for neighbors on a deserted island though and you’ve got a recipe for success. Some are so attached to these furry made-up creatures that they painstakingly look for their favorites on deserted islands or outright buy them with now overpriced Amiibo cards. For one streamer it was a mission to find a childhood villager friend from the original GameCube title. Twitch streamer “FireDragon” had a moment on stream that captured the hearts of the internet. After 160,000 miles and visiting 80 deserted islands, he finally found his long lost friend Bill. “Yo! We did it! Yo, Bill! BILL!” he exclaimed, before showing his wife. “I got Bill! Yes, Bill! My favorite GameCube villager! I’m 10 years old again!”
As you can see, many socialize and have more conversations with their villagers in Animal Crossing than they do with people in their daily lives. I guess if Bob from apartment 23 walked around offering me compliments and making furniture recipes every day, I’d be more inclined to talk to him as well. Oh, and if he was a cute talking wolf, that might help too.
Not everyone messes their sleep schedule up playing Animal Crossing. That said no one is blaming anyone that has “different” sleeping habits these days. Time is a construct, right? With most newly released titles, many players spend late nights to early mornings trying to finish or experience a game in a few sittings. Although that is an option in the new ACNH title, it’s not how the game encourages you to play. Unlike many video games, ACNH nudges players into a regular schedule. Player’s islands wake up with them every day. Nook’s Cranny which provides a daily rotation of items opens at 8 AM sharp and closes at 10 PM. Able Sisters’ clothing store opens at 7 AM while closing at 9 PM. Villagers also wake up and sometimes go to sleep around these hours as well. The entire feel of the game gives players hours of operations, play between these times for the most activities available. This has had a profound effect on some people in their real-world daily lives.
For many, the mechanic of a schedule has bled into their schedules in the best possible way. “I had a lot of trouble with my sleeping schedule. I tried multiple things, but nothing seemed to work. It was getting worse and worse, to the point that I’d be awake more at night than during the day. As soon as I got Animal Crossing my life changed. I noticed how after a day of playing, I wanted to sleep so it would be the next day in animal crossing, where new exciting things would happen! Pretty soon my sleeping schedule switched from sleeping from 5 am till somewhere during the day, to sleeping at 12 and waking up at 8! I haven’t experienced morning for about half a year, it’s incredible!” Susie writes.
A common theme you’ll read throughout this article and anywhere on a message board are the connections players can make, keep, or even rekindle. Animal Crossing does a great job of giving the feeling of spending time with those they love but within a safe distance. “I have been able to reconnect with friends from high school and college, some of whom I haven’t connected with for over 9 years! It helps me feel connected to people I care about so my anxiety and depression don’t spike too high,” says Lizzy.
There’s also the more common stories of birthdays on players’ islands. Time and shelter in place, unfortunately, doesn’t stop for those with life events, but New Horizons has given an outlet for celebrations. “It was my birthday on the 25th and 2 of my friends came over to my island and we dressed up as princesses. Spending time with them virtually was a good alternative for not being able to have them over in real life to celebrate,” said Nicole.
New Horizons has likely spawned one of the biggest Video Game Pop Culture movements ever seen. In some ways, it rivals water cooler talk (virtual) as much as Game of Thrones, Lost, or any other pop culture phenomenon. We’re living in a time where the production of everything we watch or play has come to a halt. New Horizons has been out for almost two months, but it’s the first in the franchise that has consistent updates. Additionally, it’s the most accessible title with a highly active community.
With accessibility bringing a wider audience, stories are spawned within the game that can be unexpected. These moments can sometimes produce something almost magical, certainly beautiful, such was the case for Reddit user RonnieShmonnie and her dog Copper. “I was first inspired to do it when I saw someone else post on Reddit that they had the DIY recipe for the headstone and would be willing to make it for others, I immediately knew I wanted one to honor Copper! At that point, it had only been about a month since he passed away, and I was having a really hard time coping. At first, I just placed the headstone near my house in the game, but after some time I decided to make a full memorial with his photo and a soccer ball and a place for me to sit beside him. Having a piece of him in there with me just brought me some comfort. The first time someone visited and left a flower there (without telling me, I found it after they left) I just started crying happy tears because it was such a sweet gesture, and I felt I was able to share his spirit and his memory with someone who never got to meet him. It almost helps him live on in a small way. And the outreach from people since I posted that picture has been so great! I’ve had maybe 10 more people come and leave flowers. I just love how this game connects people from all over the world, who likely never would have crossed paths otherwise, and gives them something to engage in together.
For Reddit user Xenahezorua, his story grew throughout the franchise, beginning with the second installment. With a loving father, he gained memories that will last a lifetime. With New Horizons, he’s been able to express his admiration for a father he loved. “I got a DS and Animal Crossing: Wild World for Christmas back in 2009, and my dad helped me with everything he could, from planting money trees to burying rare fossils. Then, in March of the same year, he passed. It was originally his game, so I would randomly get villagers showing me letters he wrote, and it was a nice way to keep thinking about him. When I saw that you could place furniture outside in New Horizons, it started to dawn on me that I could have a special memorial for him. I used an online photo to pattern website to make a picture of him to finish it up.”
The world has irreparably changed. Someday it might resemble the one we used to know, but more than likely it will look far different. Who knows how far the effects of the pandemic will last. As of this writing, many futures are uncertain, from careers to livelihoods and all certain ways of life. One thing that shouldn’t change, however, is caring for one another. Although no title is perfect nor the community attached, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has accomplished something special. Yes, it benefits a corporation like Nintendo and yes it is a large selling franchise. But if you look closer, you’ll see much more. New Horizons helps tell stories, it is the platform. The creativity and the love fans have both old and new is what truly makes the stories within Animal Crossing. Many have been calling the game “therapy.” I wouldn’t go as far to say that it should replace something so valuable, but it has brought comfort and routine to those that otherwise wouldn’t have it. The best part? It will be there for years to come, bringing comfort, joy, and a sense of “therapy.” One of the last things that RonnieShmonnie wrote during our interview captured what I felt was the essence of this game. “I think a lot of us share the sentiment that the game gives us a sense of accomplishment, something to look forward to each day, and just an overall feeling of togetherness. I think that’s why it’s so popular and important to so many people!”
