Summary
Villagers have always been central to theAnimal Crossingexperience, and the next game in the series can take steps to further flesh them out. These changes could build off the way villagers functioned inNew Horizons, which expanded upon the series formula while retaining some of themore frustrating aspects ofAnimal Crossing.
In some ways, villagers are what makeAnimal Crossingwhat it is. After all, they are the titular “animals” of the franchise, and their adorable anthropomorphized designs, unique personalities, and relaxed, low-stakes quest lines help make them a central, inextricable part of theAnimal Crossingexperience. Nowhere is their influence more clear than inNew Horizons, which includes a dizzying 413 total potential animal villagers, each with their own distinct traits and appearances. This breadth and diversity lead to a number ofunexpected moments inNew Horizons, further heightening its charm and variability. It seems strange, then, that the game only allows players to retain a maximum of 10 villagers at a time, which some might view as an unnecessary limitation. In addition to this, while the villagers are varied visually, they are somewhat limited in their capabilities.
What the Next Animal Crossing Can Do with Villagers
While the behavior, scope, and quantity ofAnimal Crossingvillagers can be mostly explained as creative choices by the developers, it’s also likely that technical restrictions have played a role. It would be hard forAnimal Crossingon the Switch to feature a bustling town square with dozens of fully modeled and interactive NPCs, for example. With theNintendo Switch 2 possibly on the way, a futureAnimal Crossinggame might be free from the restrictions of its predecessors.
Using the Switch 2 to Improve Animal Crossing Villagers
For one thing, the power of a Switch successor could mean a higher concurrent villager count. There is an argument to be made in favor of keeping a relatively strict cap on the number of villagers a town has at any given point, as this encourages trading and increases longevity, but perhaps the cap could be bumped up to 15 or 20. After all, if the nextAnimal Crossingattempts to match or exceed the number of total NPCs included inNew Horizons, a substantial increase in the population maximum wouldn’t necessarily eliminate the benefits of a limited population.
The changes to villagers wouldn’t have to end with sheer quantity. ThenextAnimal Crossingcould have more dynamic NPCs, with more distinct animations, activities, and specific events or interactions that could vary in complexity based on a number of factors, including concurrent villager count. This could allow for additional personality types as well, as there could be outdoorsy or adventurous villagers that are more active and interactive, moving throughout the game world and having a generally greater impact.
Since small-town scale and charm have always been central toAnimal Crossing, these hypothetically updated villagers could be relegated to a different part of the next game’s map. If the nextAnimal Crossingallowed players to travelto different single-player locations, like bustling city centers, for instance, then these locales could host a wide array of ambitiously detailed villagers. The next game could even retain the 10-villager restriction, allowing players to swap out NPCs from a pool of dozens, or perhaps even more, in this theoretical alternate location. This would let the game provide players with something fresh that doesn’t infringe on the series' identity.
The limited scope ofAnimal Crossing’s villagers certainly has its benefits. If players could, at any time, interact with a huge assortment of NPCs, it might detract from the sense of intimacy that the series excels at invoking. That said, there are ways thatAnimal Crossingcan get a bit more ambitious with villagers in terms of scale, scope, and detail, especially on more powerful hardware.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
WHERE TO PLAY
Escape to a deserted island and create your own paradise as you explore, create, and customize in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game. Your island getaway has a wealth of natural resources that can be used to craft everything from tools to creature comforts. you’re able to hunt down insects at the crack of dawn, decorate your paradise throughout the day, or enjoy sunset on the beach while fishing in the ocean. The time of day and season match real life, so each day on your island is a chance to check in and find new surprises all year round.Show off your island utopia to family and friends—or pack your bags and visit theirs. Whether playing online** or with others beside you***, island living is even better when you can share it. Even without hopping on a flight, you’ll meet a cast of charming animal residents bursting with personality. Friendly faces like Tom Nook and Isabelle will lend their services and happily help you grow your budding community. Escape to your island getaway—however, whenever, and wherever you want.
