What time does it release?

[trinity.]

So New Horizons is coming in 12 days and I still need to decide if I want digital or hard copy. A couple of the factors in my decision will be 1. when will I be able to play the digital copy and 2. will Nintendo somehow crash with all of us trying to download New Horizons at the same time. These factors would change depending on how Nintendo wants to release it - is it time zone based, or will all of us be downloading the game at 12AM EST, for example).
TL;DR I was wondering whether the game will release at 12AM at a specific time zone or 12AM at each player's respective time zone.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Rainy Day]

I don't know about the servers crashing, never heard of that occurring before though it doesn't mean it hasn't. But you can buy and pre-load the digital version so come 9pm pacific or midnight EST, you can start the game up. It's a single player game so no internet access required once it's pre-loaded. No servers to crash.

Physical versions depend on how late your store is opened and if it's in stock.

Personally, I'm purchasing both. Physical for collecting purposes and digital for faster loading times and ability to play at midnight.

Edit: No, it's not at midnight for all time zones. It's 9pm pacific time, for example, so that would be midnight for EST. You can use a tool online to convert 9pm pacific time to your personal time zone.

 

[PeeBraiin]

If you preorder via digital copy, you can actually download the game ahead of time instead of waiting for it to download! The game will be on your switch, you just won?t be able to access it. Essentially it?s locked and will unlock at midnight or 9pm. I live on the West Coast. So my local gamestop releases games at 12pm EST not PST. So I can get the game at 9pm on Thursday instead of waiting til midnight

 

[Annika.]

With physical copies there's always the gamble of the game arriving a day early or days late (if you [pre-]order online).

 

[Cirom]

This is Nintendo, I want to say they tend to have their releases at midnight local-time, but I'm not completely certain. Kinda hoping I get to play it at midnight (... especially as it'd be midnight GMT ) but there's definitely the possibility that it won't work like that.

(Though note that some of their lesser-known releases like Cadence of Hyrule were released at the same time worldwide, although do note that Cadence of Hyrule is a third-party title.)

 

[MKInfinite]

Nintendo does tend to release their Big First Party Games on Midnight EST, so exact time depends on your timezone (mine would be 9PM PT on the 19th for example)

If you do preload the game, literally the entire game will be downloaded on your switch, but it'll be locked until it releases, and the only thing it'll download on release day is the key to download (and it'll download either automatically or you can check yourself by clicking the game icon). This was the reason I decided to go digital, to play it earlier than intended... because I'm impatient as hell lmao

But in the end, it really depends on what you want, if you wanna go digital to play it a little early, then go for it.
If you decide to go with physical release and have all day to play it comfortably, then go for it.

 

[ctar17]

I preordered a digital version and predownloaded it already as well. I believe you'll be able to start playing at midnight Eastern time (which is 9pm pacific time). Usually I like physical cartridges, but for this I chose digital so I don't have to go to the store, and it can stay in my switch all the time and I can have a Pokemon cartridge in as well and rotate between the two.

 

[Jhine7]

Midnight each time zone.

 

[tajikey]

I imagine we'll start to see gameplay videos as early as 6a PST on March 19th, seeing as Australia is 18 hours ahead (15 hours ahead of EST). I've placed a moratorium on anything AC:NH related (Twitter, Google News, AC World) from 6a PST until 9p PST on the 19th, so nothing gets spoiled for me.

 

[Xara]

if you’ve preordered it digitally, you should be able to play it midnight on march 20th. if you ordered it physically, as already said, there’s always the gamble of it coming a day early, the day of or even day/s later.

 

[Nami]

For Animal Crossing, I just really prefer to have a physical copy. More for sentimental reasons, as I do have other games digitally. THAT said, as long as Gamestop does a midnight release, I will be attending.

 

[trinity.]

oh wow, thanks for all the helpful tips everyone! i just pre-ordered it digitally and it's pre-loading right now!!

 

[Mothership]

I will be pre-downloading my copy as soon as I get home with my new Switch on the 13th. i will then stare at it until I can finally play it after midnight on the 20th.