Nintendo Switch 2 Animal Crossing Game May Have-Newly Patented Feature

by

It appears that Nintendo has submitted a patent for a novel gaming system, which seems likely to be a significant element in an as-yet undisclosed installment of the Animal Crossing series due out in the future.

The article presents an “Island Newspaper” detailing diverse game activities from Animal Crossing: New Horizons that players might recognize. It also includes a summary of changing item costs and, indeed, it outlines numerous in-game events, each one labeled with a specific date.

In the mockup of the patent’s newspaper, it mentions that its last update was about the in-game Halloween on October 14th, with a headline encouraging preparation for Halloween festivities. The events from October 1st to October 14th are sequentially detailed, followed by changes in the stock market and a “previous editions” link.

It’s quite simple to visualize various scenarios where a tool such as this could prove useful. This seems very much like a ‘Recap’ feature, designed to make gameplay more accessible by orienting players to their current state, and suggesting objectives for the ongoing session.

Although this characteristic might apply to numerous video games, the incorporation of Animal Crossing events subtly suggests where Nintendo plans to implement it.

animal crossing new horizons bridge party

Previously, Nintendo has taken a comparable approach with its existing patents, as demonstrated by their legal actions against the creators of Palworld. The contested patent, you might remember, contained analogous detailed allusions to the Pokémon series, yet did not explicitly mention Pokémon.

In much the same way, this newly acquired patent might be seen by players as being similarly wide-ranging. Just like the concept of a newspaper isn’t novel, and neither is its use for historical purposes, the idea of employing a newspaper as an in-game activity log that aligns with the game’s narrative could be specific enough to stand out.

When Is The Next Animal Crossing Game Coming Out?

At present, there’s no concrete data available regarding a new Animal Crossing game, but this patent suggests strongly that the series is under close consideration by Nintendo in the near future.

The upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is getting closer to its launch, and it’s been confirmed that a fresh Mario Kart game will be among the initial releases.

Although there’s plenty of buzz about the Switch 2, finding information on its launch titles has proven more elusive.

Given the circumstances, it appears likely that a fresh edition of Animal Crossing is an expected move. The previous installment, New Horizons, achieved massive popularity and it’s reasonable to assume that Nintendo wants to replicate that success.

Without any formal updates, it seems plausible that upcoming Animal Crossing games are likely in their initial stages of production. It’s logical that patent applications such as this one might emerge at this point, and indeed, we’ve just found one.

Read More

2025-02-02 00:08