Any indication of a new animal crossing ever to be released?

[Lotusblossom]

Now that theirs no more big updates this leads me to think perhaps they are working on the next ac game! But I'm not sure I've heard anything really about that... any word from Nintendo maybe?

 

[Halloqueen]

They've only just announced the new update and DLC that are coming out on November 5th. As this new content is not even out yet, players haven't even had the chance to explore it and enjoy what it has to offer.

So, no, it's far too early for them to officially announce the next game in the franchise and I wouldn't expect to hear anything about such a game for a few years.

 

[Envy]

You shouldn't expect it for years and years. New Leaf was released in 2012 in Japan, then New Horizons 2020.

Of course, the other AC games had a much shorter time in between their releases. However, with HHP and the massive free update I think that the AC developers have had their hands full with NH.

 

[Morningowl]

To be blunt, you’ll be disappointed if your already building expections of the next mainstream AC game. Slow and steady is how the developers work on this franchise. I have no doubt there will another Animal crossing Game that’s not a spin off. In my opinion and I could be wrong, they are not releasing another one for least 5+ years based on how they paced the other games and how they presented this one. You may not play as they intend to be, which is fine. my understanding the developers see this as a slow burn and not in a hurry to make another one.

 

[DJStarstryker]

Yep, we're not seeing it until the next console minimum. And even then, it's not guaranteed. We didn't get a main AC game on Wii U.

If you're getting bored of NH for whatever reason, you could go back and check out the older games in the series if you haven't. Each game has its own things that are unique to it. There's also other video games out there that aren't the same but have similar vibes and AC fans tend to like. For example, I would recommend checking out Stardew Valley if you haven't played it.

 

[JKDOS]

No indication doesn't mean there won't be another game. AFAIK, Nintendo has never given any indication of a next-gen AC game during the life of any past AC game.

 

[nightglow]

I wouldn't expect to hear anything for a while. Nintendo is gonna want online sub sales, and DLC sales first before any mention of a new ac game, spin off or cannon.
Absolute earliest I think is possible to even hear about anything would be two years, and that is only if Nintendo decides to start pushing games more often because of the recent growth of the fan base. Other than that, I wouldn't expect to hear anything until the next console.
(4 years? 2025)

 

[AlyssaAC]

It’s way too early for them to be announcing a new game. We probably won’t be hearing any news of the next one for quite some time. This is one of the reasons I love this game. It gives you plenty of time to play and enjoy everything it has to offer.

 

[Etown20]

Games are always being planned and developed without public knowledge, and I'd guess they are probably in the planning stage now and it won't be ready for years.

Given the massive popularity of the series now, I do wonder if they will try another spin-off game or remaster in the time in between. For example, it seems like Nintendo has been trying to release at least one Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon game per year to to fill the time in between the mainline entries.

 

[Fey]

Nintendo made over a billion dollars off of New Horizons—it’s looking to be one (if not) the bestselling game for the Switch.

I’d say there is less than zero percent likelihood that they won’t make another. And I’d also say there’s a very good chance that the gap in between this game and the next will be noticeably shorter than for previous installments.

 

[Pig-Pen]

The animal crossing franchise is a huge money maker for Nintendo, there will certainly be another installment at some point. But as some have said before I wouldn't expect it anytime soon, most likely a few years down the line, after they release a new console/switch.

 

[bcmii]

Now that theirs no more big updates this leads me to think perhaps they are working on the next ac game! But I'm not sure I've heard anything really about that... any word from Nintendo maybe?

Considering New Horizons just came out a year and a half ago, we very likely could be looking at 5+ years until the next game.

 

[Regalli]

There’s almost certainly going to be a wait, especially since this particular dev team (EPD Group 5) also works on Splatoon. Not 1:1 overlap, I think, but it’s significant enough that you see the team leaders working on both. That’s why New Horizons was a midcycle game for Switch (because Splatoon 2 was a launch year title and got about two years of post-release support,) and why Splatoon 3 couldn’t really begin development until New Horizons launched. On the one hand, this is great for EPD Group 5, because they’ve got two majorly successful IPs and you don’t want to work on the same thing all the time - once you finish a creative project, you frequently need to take a break and do something completely different. On the other hand, that’s probably going to spill over into development time for both, because they have to prioritize one over the other with such significant overlap.

 

[Beanz]

its only been one, almost two years since nh has been released. they’ll probably make us wait another 7-8 years for another animal crossing. i don’t want another main title ac game because it’s too early, i don’t even know how nintendo would make another animal crossing game after this one.

 

[nightglow]

honestly i am more curious about the direction they will go in the next game.

 

[ForgottenT]

Give it another decade or so.

 

[Cosmic_Crossfade]

Now that theirs no more big updates this leads me to think perhaps they are working on the next ac game! But I'm not sure I've heard anything really about that... any word from Nintendo maybe?

I'm sure there will still be more content or dlc after Happy Home Island in the far future. I don't think a new game is anywhere near on the...horizon *snorts*

 

[bcmii]

I'm sure there will still be more content or dlc after Happy Home Island in the far future. I don't think a new game is anywhere near on the...horizon *snorts*

In the original Japanese direct, Nintendo said no more new content updates period. The wording of "major" and "free" was only added in the translations. Plus Nintendo themselves confirmed that they aren't doing any more paid DLC after this. So I'm pretty sure that this is the last batch of new content we will ever be getting. Anything from here on out will most likely just be patches for bugs/glitches. Perhaps they'll change their minds, but I personally don't have high hopes.

 

[Cosmic_Crossfade]

In the original Japanese direct, Nintendo said no more new content updates period. The wording of "major" and "free" was only added in the translations. Plus Nintendo themselves confirmed that they aren't doing any more paid DLC after this. So I'm pretty sure that this is the last batch of new content will ever be getting. Anything from here on out will most likely just be patches for bugs/glitches. Perhaps they'll change their minds, but I personally don't think that will be the case.

Oh! Then they definitely ended on it on an amazing note!

 

[Regalli]

In the original Japanese direct, Nintendo said no more new content updates period. The wording of "major" and "free" was only added in the translations. Plus Nintendo themselves confirmed that they aren't doing any more paid DLC after this. So I'm pretty sure that this is the last batch of new content we will ever be getting. Anything from here on out will most likely just be patches for bugs/glitches. Perhaps they'll change their minds, but I personally don't have high hopes.

Yeah, I think if there’s any future updates after this, it’d be like Welcome Amiibo was for New Leaf - not originally planned, but existing because the spinoffs and Amiibo added things that would reincorporate well into the main game and trying out a couple new ideas for the next one with the player base (and because it was going to be several years until a new one could come out because Splatoon 2 was well along in development by then and the other new ideas they had were BIG and thus implementing them would take a while.)

Which, needless to say, are all big ‘if’s, especially since the spinoffs exist because they wanted to make Animal Crossing Amiibo. But eh, who knows, maybe they’ll decide after Splatoon 3 wraps that what the world really needs is, like, a full-fledged fashion design sim starring Label and Gracie helping your young tailor on the path to greatness, which includes way more variety in pro design options. Or something. Most of Animal Crossing’s core gameplay loops don’t necessarily lend themselves to being spun off into something more elaborate the way HHD could for interior design, anyway. Stranger things have happened, but I wouldn’t bet on it.