When do you think we’ll get the next animal crossing game?

[kappnfangirl]

What’s everyone’s realistic predictions? We are due at least something very soon (maybe a spin off? - if we’re using new leaf —> new horizons as the timeline)

The team handling AC did work on splatoon 3, but I don’t see any major development for splatoon anytime soon. The game was released and we got an expansion pass, so other than splatfests, I think the team may be working on animal crossing content.

Do you think we will get another spin off game or dlc? Or will the team focus primarily on animal crossing mainline game, and have a game release close to or on release of nintendos next console after the switch. (Rumored to be released in 2024).

Do you think we have to wait a lot longer like with new leaf (7 year wait) or do you think the fans will release sooner? (Like the 4 year release window from city folk to new leaf)


I’m interested in everyone’s predictions! Of course we can’t accurately predict Nintendo, but it’s still fun to speculate.

 

[Candy83]

The next Nintendo game console is more likely to welcome the next Animal Crossing.

 

[kappnfangirl]

The next Nintendo game console is more likely to welcome the next Animal Crossing.

That’s literally what I said? I only posted this in the NH section because the other sections are a little inactive but if a mod sees this, you can move to general AC discussion ig.

 

[Croconaw]

I’m fine with anything as long as it’s a mainline game and not some spin-off title.

 

[VanitasFan26]

Probably on the next Nintendo system whenever that will be given their track record of releasing Animal Crossing games on different platforms.

 

[kemdi]

I'd say by whenever the next console is released. Nintendo typically only releases one mainline AC game per platform. The one exception was with the 3DS when they released New Leaf and Happy Home Designer, and even then HHD was a spinoff, not a mainline game.

 

[Xara]

i honestly haven’t given this too much thought, but i don’t think we’ll have to wait for the next game for as long as we waited for new horizons. i don’t see anything being announced this year or even next year; the earliest i’ll start hoping for news of the next game is 2025, but ofc i’d love if something was announced or released sooner. i can see the next instalment releasing or being announced around the same time that the next major nintendo console does, whenever that’ll be.

my interest in a spin-off game would depend on what the game entailed of, but i’ll never say no to another mainline game. i also wouldn’t mind another dlc update for new horizons in the meantime, but i doubt it

 

[DJ-Mika]

More than likely, when the new console hits is when we can start to expect to see new games/content for Animal Crossing. New Horizons is pretty much over and done with so I can't see any kind of DLC dropping now, and I doubt we'll be getting spin-offs either unless a different team were developing it like with Pocket Camp.

IMO until we're much closer into the next year/new console then I think the team's sole focus right now will be Splat3 up until the final few Splatfests + the final Fest, after which then I think they'll start to shift focus to the next AC.

I would prefer for the next installment to be a mainline game and not a spin-off, but honestly all I ask is that the next game actually be finished this time with better villager dialogue

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

I definitely think it will be a while.... Im back in the stage I was in around 2017/2018. Im loving the current game (now New Horizons) and I am not bored yet. I still want new content but it feels too early. Its like New Leaf all over again lol! I still play all the AC games weekly though. I think it will be around three or four years until the next game. I am so excited for the next game but as I have stated in the past it wil divide the fandom, I SERIOUSLY doubt Nintendo will make a game that satisfies both parties of designers and life-simmers. I think it will be exciting though!! I hope it takes the approach of the older games but I know it will probably be quite bad like some other recent Nintendo disappointments. It breaks my heart because I loved Nintendo games but not I just play the old ones because for every good switch game there are two or three bad ones.

TL;DR: If I had to guess when the next Animal Crossing would release it would be around 2025 / 2027 (more likely).

 

[LuchaSloth]

Well...this is Nintendo. So, sometime between 2035 and never. Lol

With that said...at least there seems to be a healthy interest from other developers in making clones. So...maybe we can get a regular stream of Crossing clones and maybe they will start to get better as time goes on. Honestly, Dreamlight Valley does a lot better than Animal Crossing. So, there's hope for others to make similar strides.

 

[NicksFixed]

Here's my thinking: They started development of a game for the WiiU but when that system flopped, they quickly changed their minds. Not even AC was going to save that console !! To plug the gap, we got two spin-offs. HHD was such a surprise success, that in turn led to an update of New Leaf [which I think likely inspired the 2.0 update in NH] ...

I would say that the next system Nintendo releases would be the time for the next game, but they have stated multiple times that no new console is on the way any time soon. Then again, they could be bluffing !! Maybe they'll release another Switch game and surprise us all !! We could get another big update to plug the gap again like they did with NL four years later ... I'd still like to see another amiibo Festival though, just with online play and no amiibo figure dependency ...

 

[GetSchwifty]

I'd say next console generation after 1-2 years. Basing this on current sources this would be around 2025/2026 (with a new console launching next year). 2025 would be sadly even early from what he have experienced with AC ...

 

[oath2order]

More than likely, when the new console hits is when we can start to expect to see new games/content for Animal Crossing. New Horizons is pretty much over and done with so I can't see any kind of DLC dropping now, and I doubt we'll be getting spin-offs either unless a different team were developing it like with Pocket Camp.

IMO until we're much closer into the next year/new console then I think the team's sole focus right now will be Splat3 up until the final few Splatfests + the final Fest, after which then I think they'll start to shift focus to the next AC.

I would prefer for the next installment to be a mainline game and not a spin-off, but honestly all I ask is that the next game actually be finished this time with better villager dialogue

TBF we all thought that ACNL was done and over with with the release and then they dropped Welcome Amiibo.

I still think after the last Splatfest we might get another ACNH update. I'm not sure what it could do in terms of content that would bring people back playing again. But I'm holding out hope for another QOL update.

 

[kappnfangirl]

More than likely, when the new console hits is when we can start to expect to see new games/content for Animal Crossing. New Horizons is pretty much over and done with so I can't see any kind of DLC dropping now, and I doubt we'll be getting spin-offs either unless a different team were developing it like with Pocket Camp.

IMO until we're much closer into the next year/new console then I think the team's sole focus right now will be Splat3 up until the final few Splatfests + the final Fest, after which then I think they'll start to shift focus to the next AC.

I would prefer for the next installment to be a mainline game and not a spin-off, but honestly all I ask is that the next game actually be finished this time with better villager dialogue

Do splatfests take a lot of development time?

also, have they confirmed when the last splat fest will be? Thanks

 

[Beanz]

like some other people here, i don’t expect to see anything animal crossing related until a new console comes out, even following the new leaf to new horizons timeline (around 8 years) i think they’ll tease a new game around 2025. i don’t expect to see any dlc for new horizons because i believe it has been stated that development is over for it. i also don’t expect something like happy home designer to come out because we already have the new horizons dlc plus idk what they could possibly do as another spin off series and im not confident with the idea that a welcome amiibo type update will release but both would be a welcomed surprises.

one of the reasons i believe they won’t release a welcome amiibo type update because i feel like not a lot of people play new horizons anymore other than dedicated players. even before welcome amiibo dropped (a time period of around 3 years, 2013-16 north america ver) i think a lot more people still played new leaf and we are around that same time frame with new horizons right now.

 

[McRibbie]

The last NH update was 18 months ago and was explicitly stated to be the final update, so unless they decide to go "lol, Splatoon and Zelda's amiibo got reissued, have some Splatoon and Zelda furniture" I don't think we're getting anything else, as the game already has amiibo support and has its own version of HHD built in, so there's no need to do a Welcome Amiibo-style update.

However, I think the Animal Crossing leads started thinking about concepts for the next game in the series at the start of last year, and possibly even at the end of 2021. I also think the Switch's successor is going to launch sometime towards the end of next year, given Nintendo's lineup for the Switch seems to be drying up and Splatoon 3's explicitly being updated by the developers until 2 years after launch; so I think we're going to have the next Animal Crossing game teased whenever they first announce the Switch's successor for a release sometime in 2025 (maybe even March like NH, but idk). Not quite the 6 years 9 months- 7 years 4 months between NL and NH, but more in line with the gap between WA and NH.

 

[DJ-Mika]

TBF we all thought that ACNL was done and over with with the release and then they dropped Welcome Amiibo.

I still think after the last Splatfest we might get another ACNH update. I'm not sure what it could do in terms of content that would bring people back playing again. But I'm holding out hope for another QOL update.

The only reason I say this is because Nintendo themselves explicitly stated that it was over and done with. Unless they decide to suddenly go against this statement and come out with more paid DLC then I don't see why they'd try to continue to stick to NH when a new console is on the way, on top of the dev team currently having a more relevant game to focus on (Splat3)
I believe also that NL got that Welcome Amiibo update just to support the amiibo products that were new at the time, but now that amiibo have winded down considerably I don't see a reason for them to put more money + manpower into additional stuff for a game that, again, they said they were done with.
I'd love to be wrong of course but I just don't see it happening tbh

@kappnfangirl it's not just Splatfests honestly, there's Salmon Run, the Side Order main story DLC, the introduction of Seasons (which last for 3 months per Season throughout the year), not to mention any unannounced plans they may have in the future; the projected release date for Side Order shows that the dev team will be developing content for Splat3 until at least the holiday season 2024
And I have no idea when the last Fest will be; if I had to guess maybe once Side Order is released and the new console is announced

 

[Croconaw]

Also, have they confirmed when the last splat fest will be? Thanks

I’m pretty sure December is the last Splatfest. I recall checking because I was interested in the game and the wars were my favorite part of the game. I ended up not getting the game since I didn’t think I could justify paying full price for a few more Splatfests.

 

[Mr_Keroppi]

I’m pretty sure December is the last Splatfest. I recall checking because I was interested in the game and the wars were my favorite part of the game. I ended up not getting the game since I didn’t think I could justify paying full price for a few more Splatfests.

Most Splatoon games have splatfests for 2 years! Splatoon 3's last splatfest is slated for around 2024 December I believe?? Nintendo stated in the Splatoon 3 Direct that "a new catalog is slated to release every three months for two years."
edit: idk if i was clear but the catalogs are kind of representatives of the games lifespan so i doubt nintendo would drop splatfest before the catalogs.

 

[Croconaw]

Most Splatoon games have splatfests for 2 years! Splatoon 3's last splatfest is slated for around 2024 December I believe?? Nintendo stated in the Splatoon 3 Direct that "a new catalog is slated to release every three months for two years."

Lol, it did say 2024. I think I forgot what year it was for a minute.