When Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched in March 2020, it was exactly what many of us needed—a charming escape, endless decorating possibilities, and a daily rhythm that made life in lockdown a little brighter. But if you’ve played it since, you know the magic didn’t last. Nintendo all but walked away from the game after just one year of meaningful updates, leaving players like me wondering if they even care about the long-term life of the series.
And with a next-gen Switch here, it’s time to get real about what went wrong—and what the next Animal Crossing needs to deliver.
- Lack of Updates Killed the Momentum
From launch through late 2021, we got a handful of free updates—twelve in total—and a single paid DLC (Happy Home Paradise). The big 2.0 update in November 2021 added Brewster’s Café, cooking, and a few other features, but that was it. Nintendo announced no further major updates, and aside from a compatibility patch for the Switch 2 in May 2025, the game has been on life support ever since.
Seasonal content? Mostly recycled from the last five years. Compare that to games like Fortnite—free to play, yet delivering weekly updates with fresh items and events. In New Horizons, if you’ve played through the seasonal events once, there’s little reason to come back.
- The Online Experience Felt Stuck in 2005
Let’s be honest—the multiplayer experience in New Horizons was painfully outdated.
The airport system was slow and tedious, making visiting friends a chore.
Communication tools were clunky at best.
You spent more time watching loading screens than actually interacting.
Nintendo might see Animal Crossing as a “kids’ game,” but that’s no excuse for treating online play like an afterthought in 2025.
- The Game World Felt Static
The fixed camera angle was fine in 2001, but we’re in an era of AI, ray tracing, and self-driving cars. Even older Nintendo 64 games offered more flexible viewpoints. The UI felt barebones, the menus felt sluggish, and the overall flow lacked the polish we expect from modern life-sim titles.
- Decorating Without Purpose
Some players love the grind of collecting and arranging furniture. I get it—it’s a core part of the game. But when the only real challenge is slowly acquiring items you want, the thrill fades fast. Imagine seasonal challenges, limited-time collectibles, or holiday events like the ones RuneScape used to run—content that kept you logging in for the surprise, not just the routine.
What the Next Animal Crossing Needs
If Nintendo wants Animal Crossing for Switch 2 to thrive, here’s what’s non-negotiable:
Regular updates with fresh seasonal content—no multi-year droughts.
Overhauled online play with instant connections, group activities, and better chat tools.
Modernized visuals and UI—more camera freedom, smoother menus.
Community events that bring players together for more than just trading turnips.
Dynamic world changes—make the island feel alive, not frozen in time.
The Bottom Line
New Horizons started strong but lost its spark when Nintendo stopped investing in it. With the Switch 2 on the horizon, the next Animal Crossing is Nintendo’s chance to get it right. Give us a game worth playing for years, not months. Keep the charm, keep the creativity—but this time, keep the content flowing.
