Have you noticed the game's popularity falling?

[Believe]

Started noticing it a bit a few weeks ago, but it's really starting to feel like the dust is settling. Most of my friends that hopped on the hype train no longer play and my online list on my switch is dwindling. Of course after the first couple months the popularity was inevitably going to fall, but I feel like Animal Crossing, being a bit of a niche game, seems to be experiencing that a bit more harshly than other games as everyone unlocks terraforming and realizes the game isn't their style.

Personally, I'm quite happy to finally see it relax a bit, but not sure if this steep drop has been purely anecdotal.

 

[RiceBunny]

Lack of content. A lot of people got bored and haven’t played in weeks. We need more content, a nook upgrade and more furniture

 

[lars708]

The game's hype has definitely died down. Honestly all it means is just that the fake fans are gone now woo hoo. But it's still an immensely popular game regardless!

 

[Morningowl]

I am not surprised by it. Lot people like one and done games that’s not Animal crossing. I think it’s cool people are finding Animal crossing. The game is pretty accessible anyone can play it but that doesn’t translate to enjoyment though. I do love the AC games but at same time I believe it is a type of game that can bore people easily. If you just playing because of the hype I doubt many those people will be playing long term.

 

[Insulaire]

I think more people are going back to work too, so may be less free time. I think a lot of it was casual players fading out as well. I’m in it for the long haul, but like anything, it’s not for everyone

 

[Xeleron]

Lack of content. A lot of people got bored and haven’t played in weeks. We need more content, a nook upgrade and more furniture

I legit have just been staring at you gif since you posted, I don't even know what I was going to comment lol
I love it and hate it, my poor Yoshi t.t

Personally, I'm quite happy to finally see it relax a bit, but not sure if this steep drop has been purely anecdotal.

Personally, I haven't really noticed irl. The only place I get any AC info from is this forum.... and it's on this forum that I've seem MULTIPLE threads of people saying that they're not playing ACNH ever again, that their bored and that they hate the lack of content. Personally, I really enjoy the game, it really depends on the player and their goals... plus I pace myself. I had terraforming unlocked for 2 weeks before I actually started doing anything to my island and the whole left side of my island is still quite undeveloped.

 

[greenvoldemort]

ive noticed a lot of people actually beginning to pick the game up now since its so popular and pekple do have the free time?

 

[monsieurberry]

I feel like it’s popularity was clearly I flared by the stay at home orders and the hype generated itself from there. So it’s not shock to me the massive popularity it had is deflating. Animal Crossing isn’t really a mainstream game (relatively speaking) and NH kind of broke barriers in making it seem like one.

 

[Sholee]

Well by this point, most people have terraformed their islands to how they like. There isn't a need to play for hours and hours anymore. Animal crossing franchise in the long term has always been quite casual, log in and do your dailys and move on.

Bells are easy to get via stalk market
NMTs are easy to get via trading
Majority of bugs and fishes have already been donated.

 

[pochy]

The game's hype has definitely died down. Honestly all it means is just that the fake fans are gone now woo hoo. But it's still an immensely popular game regardless!

I am not surprised by it. Lot people like one and done games that’s not Animal crossing. I think it’s cool people are finding Animal crossing. The game is pretty accessible anyone can play it but that doesn’t translate to enjoyment though. I do love the AC games but at same time I believe it is a type of game that can bore people easily. If you just playing because of the hype I doubt many those people will be playing long term.

i sort of agree, the newbies who enjoy acnhs laid back playstyle will probably stay, and the ones who came during the peak popularity and don't really like it will leave or get bored. at the end, it's nice that the community has grown bigger ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Scrafty]

A lot of new players really went all in during lockdown, I'd imagine quite a few got burned out from completing their islands.

 

[stiney]

ive noticed a lot of people actually beginning to pick the game up now since its so popular and pekple do have the free time?

Agreed. My cousin just started playing a couple weeks ago. My best friend bought it a few weeks ago but he only started really getting into it the last week or so. (I think he was overwhelmed with house loans and wasn't sure what to do next, he has more bells now from the stalk market and is starting to get into the groove.)

Edit: to fix misquote.

 

[InstantNoodles]

A lot of new players really went all in during lockdown, I'd imagine quite a few got burned out from completing their islands.

Though I'm not a new AC player, I went all in because of the lockdown and got burned out I have 500+ hours and I now find it a chore to turn on the game and do dailies.

To answer OP's question, I think that the hype has died down due to a combination of reasons already mentioned by others in the thread. I remember seeing someone mentioning that this ACNH hype is like the opposite of that one summer everyone went crazy for Pokemon Go, since ACNH's popularity was helped by everybody staying in, while Pokemon Go encouraged people to go outside.

 

[Piggleton]

A lot of new players really went all in during lockdown, I'd imagine quite a few got burned out from completing their islands.

This! My friends who were students spent probably 200 hours in the first 2-3 weeks and completely did everything they wanted. Had to set the game down due to burn out. But now they’re starting to become casual players and come on to do their dailies etc. they do once in a while get a sudden creative itch and terraform again!

 

[TheodoreCottontail]

A lot of people were in quarantine the past couple months & now have to go back to work. I have noticed less posts on the forums though.

 

[starlightsong]

I agree with the person who mentioned a lack of content, I haven’t even finished terraforming/decorating my island at all because without the dream suite and a huge amount of missing items I just don’t know what to do with it and I was finding it extremely frustrating how that was basically the only thing left to do. So I quit for now and I can’t even motivate myself to play the wedding event. My dad and brother haven’t played in weeks even before I stopped. And I also have a friend who decided to quit until we (hopefully) get a really good update because he’s too bored with the way the game is right now.

 

[LambdaDelta]

just gamers being gamers

nothing new, tbh

 

[Sweetley]

I guess most of the people who stopped playing the game coming back once some bigger updates are on the way.

 

[LambdaDelta]

just gamers being gamers

nothing new, tbh

 

[EtchaSketch]

and thank god for that, too