Festivale Update!

[McRibbie]

I honestly wasn't expecting much, going off the previous event updates we've had, so I'm not feeling homicidal towards the AC Devs in any way like some of y'all are. I basically just expected exactly what we've just got.

As I've said before, I think the stuff that was in the datamine is still in active development, and the first year worth of updates was always going to be fairly basic stuff because the seasonal events NEED to be there in some shape or form, even if they do decide to enhance them in response to player feedback or add new items to make the event worth playing again.

A few points, tho:

• Given that I HATED the old Festivale furniture, the new stuff is really nice! We've got drums, banners, little stalls and stuff covered in little lights. Very Brazilian (to the point where I envy the people in the Southern Hemisphere, who get to enjoy this event in the weather it was designed for!)
• Although I hate the fact that all the smaller events are now relegated to Nook Shopping, and wish they'd finally taken the time to expand these item-only events into proper events with villagers doing stuff in the plaza, I love the sheer variety of international events that have items in NH, and these continue to amaze me! The setsubun beans are back, as are the chocolate hearts and the Resetti model... but now we've got Chinese New Year envelopes, some form of Korean New Year item (although I wish the bell you got at New Year's in Korean NL came back), and even stuff for the Super Bowl?
• ...Sanrio amiibo being reissued gives me hope that the Sanrio villagers are being added into the game in March, ngl
• Given how every update so far has had an NPC added, even the second Summer wave that had an NPC-less tease, I sincerely doubt the March update is JUST Mario furniture. I'm not getting my hopes up too big, because I don't want to get burnt... but I'm also not going "GUYS NINTENDO DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THIS GAME AT ALL AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANY BIG UPDATES FOR IT EVER AGAIN" because that's Just Not True.

 

[Nefarious]

This was my reaction as well. Quite dissapointed that there wasn’t one other thing like in the previous updates. That’s what I looked foward to most in those previous updates. Even when it was something I didn’t use like the dream suite. Now I’m just wonder where they’re going to take the updates.

I’m hyped for March more for season 5 of My Hero Academia rather than Mario items, but there’s always a part of me that hopes for something beyond that, so I’ll still hope and dream for the March update. Just more relaxed.

 

[Che5hire Cat]

Well again, I see this game taking a lot of cues from the original games and for game simplicity. The devs don't really want to impair people's islands by having them uproot the stuff player's create or shove players houses closer

Sorry, but it's still a downgrade in my eyes. And just because they may want to make everything simple or different compared to the previous games doesn't mean that they have to stuff everything in one building. The museum imo is perfect the way it is, I'm not even sure where they want to add The Roost or that mysterious museum shop. Pretty sure a lot of people have in their mind that even if they "finish" their islands, that Nintendo can add at any time another NPC and their building. Besides, they can always make it an option if you want to build it or not, so nobody has to worry about that Nintendo suddenly ruining their island's imagine by adding new buildings.

Also, we have only two shops and the museum so far, it's not like that we have to deal with 10+ buildings already. Many people (like me) don't know what to do with the space which is left on the island, so adding a new building would be really helpful.

 

[ReeBear]

*considers returning from acnh hiatus for an update*
......oh well.

 

[Verecund]

While I also think it's unlikely that the rug thing works as an actual rug, does anyone else think that those floor lights are really encroaching on that square of space that the rug would take up? If the rug was a regular furniture item like the pile of leaves, I don't think the floor lights could be placed so close to it. Of course, maybe the floor lights are part of the item, but I don't see why they'd do that when they already have those as a separate item.

 

[Le Ham]

I don't see anyone else saying it, so can I just say...

I love how they did the Festivale music. In NL I got really sick of hearing it after the first like 10 minutes because it felt... idk like a drone. And the way the percussion when you were near Pave sounded on top of that track just didn't sound right. I like how much more flair it seems to have here.

 

[DaisyFan]

I know the video is short and all, but I would say that I'm looking forward to this small update! Festivale, maracas, new reactions, and more, oh my! The next update after this will be in March for Super Mario stuff. I know that there will be a new furniture set coming soon (recalling from Super Mario 35th anniversary direct last year).

I am really excited for this upcoming update to be honest.

 

[Cosmic-chan]

I will say maracas are cute af. I do love the maracas and if rugs can go outside yes. Beach umbrella is cute

 

[Kattea]

I know what would make this better. If we had a TBT event re-releasing feathers for Festivale.

 

[azurill]

Sorry, but it's still a downgrade in my eyes. And just because they may want to make everything simple or different compared to the previous games doesn't mean that they have to stuff everything in one building. The museum imo is perfect the way it is, I'm not even sure where they want to add The Roost or that mysterious museum shop. Pretty sure a lot of people have in their mind that even if they "finish" their islands, that Nintendo can add at any time another NPC and their building. Besides, they can always make it an option if you want to build it or not, so nobody has to worry about that Nintendo suddenly ruining their island's imagine by adding new buildings.

Also, we have only two shops and the museum so far, it's not like that we have to deal with 10+ buildings already. Many people (like me) don't know what to do with the space which is left on the island, so adding a new building would be really helpful.

I agree with you. I don’t see the point of putting everything in just two or three buildings. The island really is a good size for more buildings. I did plan my islands so that there is room for new buildings and there are parts I’m not sure what to do with. I don’t think Nintendo intended most people to complete their island right away since there will be updates. If they do have other buildings they probably will make them optional.

 

[Mink777]

Thank you Nintendo for giving me more reasons to not pick up thid game again.

 

[LuchaSloth]

I wasn't necessarily expecting an update in February at all...so, I'll take it. The furniture seems to have a Brazilian theme to go with the Festival vibes. I don't hate it. Some of it will be useful for decorating my beach areas. Honestly, though...I would have preferred a Mardi Gras update over a Festival one.

 

[Raz]

I didn't expect they would add what is basically "super bowl party" items. The items are ok, but the super bowl this year, for me, is like choosing between drinking two different lethal poisons (I'm a Raiders fan, can't stand the Chiefs and I'm also not really ok with seeing Tom Brady winning it all again... and the worst part is that if Tampa wins, Antonio Brown will get another ring, after all he did, that #$&#).

There may be at least one useful item from the Festivale set, the beach umbrella, but other than that... It doesn't really fit my island. I may be one of the few brazilian players who doesn't care about carnival, but for those who enjoy it, well, at least you got something.

If the update gives us the ability to place rugs outside... well, too little, too late, I guess? I mean, sure, it's something I would use, but it's also something that should be already in the game.

I'm more curious about those other items they didn't show on the trailer than anything else lol

 

[psiJordan]

I agree with you. I don’t see the point of putting everything in just two or three buildings. The island really is a good size for more buildings. I did plan my islands so that there is room for new buildings and there are parts I’m not sure what to do with. I don’t think Nintendo intended most people to complete their island right away since there will be updates. If they do have other buildings they probably will make them optional.

Yup, people say how islands feel bland and there’s not as much charm with the lack of buildings/NPCs, so I don’t see how tucking Brewster away in the back of the museum would help.
IMO the cafe was already forgettable in past games

 

[Elias_]

I hope the next updates will introduce more content. It's strange that the first couple of updates added the most features.

 

[shendere]

I'd be *very* surprised if that rug was just a QR code. These trailers are carefully put together to showcase the item sets, why feature something so prominently that doesn't even exist?

I mean... They sort of did that with their big trailer LOL white fences we never got, trees near water, trees near cliffs..

 

[Etown20]

Hrm. I didn't expect anything else but Pave but this is a very dry update.
I do like the new Pave set at least. It will fit in nicely with my circus zones. Not sure if the red or green variant is better quite yet.

Not a whole lot else to comment on. I see the ogre wig is returning and that does make me happy. Beans, maracas and megaphone will be good for cute photos but not much else as I don't have friends to play with.

I hope gifting the valentines items will trigger special dialog but I don't expect this.

As for my thoughts on future updates...

I think the big updates we had closer to launch are officially a thing of the past. The March update being presumably just Mario items tells me there is not going to be a big anniversary update. By now Nintendo has cemented in the fact they are not going to give anything except for what they put on the tin. I hope other people realize this too so we can avoid a massive upset come March.

My only hope for future updates is that they at least give us April Fools this year. I want Blanca back so badly.

Final thoughts... I wonder if in 10 years or so when the next AC title is in the works we'll get any transparency about what happened with NHs updates. Were they always planned to be like this or did Nintendo simply try to hide how badly the pandemic hit them?​

I don't mean to go too off-topic, but to answer a question, I do think the pandemic had more of an effect on Nintendo than most probably realize. There's a Nintendo YouTuber/brand ambassador I follow, and recently he was talking about how working from home wasn't really a thing in Japan prior to the pandemic, so when the pandemic began, Nintendo may not have been able to quickly pivot the way some other companies have.

 

[mayor.lauren]

Could you imagine the power NH would have if we got the same items as PC? I mean just look at the sneak peak for February!

I understand it’s two completely different teams working on two completely different games, but after seeing these lackluster NH updates being advertised side-by-side with the PC items, it’s hard not to compare the two. I know that I'm definitely jealous of all the cool items in PC (especially that TOWER???) and when I look at updates like this one I get so disappointed. Like, thanks Nintendo, ANOTHER single-day event with some furniture that I'm most likely not going to be able to use outside of the current season. See you in March for the next one, I guess! Maybe this time you'll give me a new table so I can actually set down my stuff!

I love NH with all my heart, but it's getting really difficult to keep defending it when Nintendo just keeps disappointing us with the same things that we DIDN'T ask for over and over again. I'm not a Brewster stan by any means, but I would prefer him to most of this stuff bc it would show me that Nintendo is at least listening to its players and our feedback.

On the bright side, I love Pavé and am VERY excited to get to interact with him again! His design is incredible!

edit: formatting

 

[Elias_]

I don't mean to go too off-topic, but to answer a question, I do think the pandemic had more of an effect on Nintendo than most probably realize. There's a Nintendo YouTuber/brand ambassador I follow, and recently he was talking about how working from home wasn't really a thing in Japan prior to the pandemic, so when the pandemic began, Nintendo may not have been able to quickly pivot the way some other companies have.

That's true and was also the reason why they split the Summer update into two parts instead of releasing it as one thing. However, after almost a year, we should expect them to be able to cope with this situation at least a little better. At the end of the day, Nintendo won't support the game longer to provide all the content they otherwise had. Instead, I suspect the game just won't get those features at all and honestly, that's just sad.

Edit: And we shouldn't forget, a quality of life changes, for instance, aren't that hard to introduce. I've been making games forever now and while I realize that programming a game as a hobby is not the same as doing it in a team where a lot has to be discussed and play-tested, adding e.g. bulk-crafting, could be done in a few days. Considering all the time they had since people have criticized this for the first time, it's just strange that they haven't implemented this as of now. I've implemented a shop system like that myself and all you have to do is provide some different buttons to add/subtract from the current counter and then another button to accept. Instead of adding the item once, you just add the 'counter'-times. Sorry for going off-topic here, but this is something that I just can't understand...

 

[Cosmic-chan]

All I want is the Mario star in the next update that's it. Thx