Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Closure Leaves Void, But Will Be Filled Soon

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Closure Leaves Void, But Will Be Filled Soon

As a dedicated Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp player with over 5 years of experience tending to my campsite and building friendships with fellow villagers, I must admit that Nintendo’s decision to shut down the app in November 2024 has left me with a mix of emotions. Initially, I was saddened by the news, but after learning about the upcoming premium version, I find myself feeling a bit like Tom Nook, always ready for the next big venture.


Launched in autumn 2017, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp serves as a portable version for enthusiasts of the series. Instead of designing and refurbishing an island, players manage a campsite that villagers can drop by, much like other Animal Crossing versions such as New Horizons. The game’s title reflects both its mobile nature and the fresh environment it offers. In essence, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp refers to the portable and new setting of the game.

Despite earning more than $50 million in its debut year and amassing $150 million internationally by 2020, Nintendo has announced that it will close “Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp” on November 28, 2024. After October 28, new in-app subscriptions won’t be sold or renewed, and players are encouraged to use all their in-game currencies like Leaf Tickets before the game shuts down. Many fans have expressed disappointment over the game’s closure. It’s worth noting that this is the fifth mobile game Nintendo has either shut down or significantly reduced its support for, following “Miitomo” (2018), “Dr. Mario World” (2021), “Dragalia Lost” (2022), and “Mario Kart Tour” (2023). However, dedicated “Pocket Camp” fans should remain hopeful, as an alternative to the game is planned for a future release.

A New Campsite for Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Fans to Care For

As a devoted gamer, I’m excited to share that Nintendo has unveiled an upgraded premium version of my beloved game, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Unlike the current version scheduled for closure in November, this revamped edition will operate offline. However, this change means that we, as players, won’t be able to engage with other players’ campsites, which was one of the key attractions of the original Pocket Camp.

In the upcoming paid version of Pocket Camp, current players might find a change as they won’t be able to interact with each other as before. But don’t fret about losing your progress! Any gamers eager to try out the new premium version can simply transfer their existing game data to the new one upon its release. As we mentioned earlier, Nintendo is advising players to spend any in-game currencies like Leaf Tickets before the original game shuts down. The reason being, these Leaf Tickets won’t be transferred over to the premium edition of Pocket Camp once it launches.

Nintendo’s Motive for Pocket Camp’s Closure

Nintendo announced they will be closing down “Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp” as their studio aims to redirect resources from mobile games and concentrate more on developing strategies for monetization. Transforming “Pocket Camp” into a game with additional monetization options, beyond its in-app purchases (which are affected by Apple’s tax), aligns well with this new direction.

Although both the rationale for shutting down Pocket Camp and its upcoming replacement have been disclosed, Nintendo has not yet revealed when this new premium game will go live. They’ve merely hinted that it will be available soon, which could mean anything from a month following the original game’s closure to a whole year later, or possibly even indefinitely postponed.

New Horizons, but also this rumored new title. Here’s hoping that followers of Pocket Camp won’t have to endure until the supposed 2026 release date for the Switch 2 before receiving fresh Animal Crossing content if the premium version of the game continues to be unsupported.

As a devoted fan of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, I’m holding onto hope that a premium version will tide us over following the game’s closure. If it doesn’t, fear not! We can dive back into the world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons to gather our favorite villagers and satisfy our craving for a comfortable gaming experience.

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2024-10-20 00:25