How do y'all keep playing Animal Crossing?

[wywy]

So I've been playing New Horizons since launch and reset once a few months ago and I feel like it's getting a bit boring now... What do y'all do to keep things fresh while playing? I think I may just stop playing for a week or two but I'm afraid that one of my villagers will leave. Right now what I'm doing to make sure I'm still a little active is by purchasing turnips so I'm forced to check every day twice.

I really love this game but it just seems like it's getting less and less... fun? Not the right word but I don't know how else to describe it

 

[VanitasFan26]

I understand exactly how you feel. I am one those people who played the game since day one. I too was getting bored of the game because I ran out of stuff to do and I just felt lost with this game. However, when I got my 2nd Switch I was able to create a 2nd island. Of course it felt really weird starting a new island, but the more I played it the more fun I started having. I had an island in the Southern Hemisphere which compared to my old island was in the North Hemisphere. I always thought to myself "What if I picked South instead of North if I first played this game. Sure enough I found an island map that worked for me.

Also because I now have full knowledge of what the game is and what to expect going in the 2nd time I was able to plan out everything that I was going to do. It was a refreshing because when I first played this game I had no idea what I was even doing. When starting a 2nd island though I knew what I had to do. I found out myself why I got burned out on the game. I rushed through it and time traveled (nothing against it for those who do it). It was probably the biggest mistake I first did. So now with a new island in a different hemisphere everything just feels more refreshing and its weird to have 2 islands be in the North and South but its a good feeling.

I know I have a hard time myself understanding how people enjoy this game and I don't get it, but when I started a 2nd island I realized the most important thing. The game was meant to be played at slow pace. I guess because I rushed through it the first time I ruined the game for myself and I knew that was the reason I got so bored with it. Many people experience the game differently and its a common thing with Animal Crossing. Its played so different and have different experiences in a way every island you see is always different.

My advice would be to do new things that you thought you couldn't do before and with terraforming I usually just make whatever stands out to me and I don't try to compare myself to other islands (believe me I done that too many times) and I learned to just be myself and how I design the island. Since I took my time with the game I was having more fun collecting stuff, talking to my villagers, and of course making the island. So yeah its a strange experience for myself, but I don't regret having a 2nd island at all.

Also if you feel too burned out on the game its best to take a break. To get yourself recharged. You don't need to force yourself to play the game just because you have to, but in a way you will come back with a refreshed mind and figure out what you can do to make yourself feel more happy with the game.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

I don't. I only play if my mom needs a good turnip price, or if there's a TBT event happening that involves ACNH (such as making Froggy Chair themed rooms for the current TBTWC event), OR to update my dream address once every few months. But mainly I'm just waiting for new content and taking a break from the game while I wait

 

[Corrie]

I feel this! I've kinda stopped playing and haven't played much for awhile. I jut don't feel like it lol. So I'm taking a break and doing other thing. I'll eventually pick it up but eh, it's lacking in things to do right now.

 

[LambdaDelta]

how? with my gamecube wii, ds lite, 3ds xl, new 3ds xl, or switch

 

[Neprezi]

Just take a break. AC is the sort of game you pick up for a while and then drop for however long you feel when it starts to get stale. Trust me, forcing yourself to play is just gonna make it feel like a chore.

I just came back from about a month or so long hiatus and I'm having a ton of fun now discovering all the new stuff added in the updates while I was gone.

Just so you know, unlike in previous games villagers in new horizons won't leave unless you give them permission to, so you don't have to worry about anybody leaving while you're gone.

 

[CylieDanny]

If Im not cycling in villagers, Im spending the majority of my time trying to be best friends with my villagers.

Im also starting to decorate, and make my island look nice. Making custom designs is one of my favorite parts. But Im mainly doing my best to try and max friendship with all my villagers.

If your boted, can I suggest trying out using, and making your own custom designs? Doing that might make it more fun.

 

[xxcodexx]

i started playing last year when the game came out. i had major problems getting the items that i wanted and i started terraforming *which i stink at lol*. when the recipes stopped coming and i couldnt get any new ones without going to other peoples islands *i only had one friend that rarely played* i just quit playing. i started again recently and deleted my old island and built a new one that had a much better map and now im ok with it...but now i have no friends on the switch anymore soooo i have to ask folks on here for help, which takes quite awhile so im kind of in the same boat as i was before with it.

 

[mushroombee]

i honestly find motivation in the community! i love doing giveaways in discord servers and giving free stuff away on nookazon! you meet the sweetest people and theyre always so grateful!

 

[WaileaNoRei]

I would say that I am still playing because I have not yet gotten bored. I think it seem like a lot of people seem to think there is a right or wrong amount to enjoy a game and put pressure on themselves, but I if you are not having fun it does not mean you are wrong, or that people who don’t feel the same are wrong. Everyone enjoys things like this differently. But forcing yourself to play sounds like a sure way to lose any enjoyment in it.

I say if it is not making you happy to play then don’t. I bet just giving yourself permission to quit might feel really good!

also, FYI, in ACNH villagers will never leave without asking and you agreeing. So no need to fear, no matter how long a break you take they will still be there waiting for you.

 

[Rosch]

I still play daily since launch. Sure, there's not much else to do unless an update drops, but I guess it's just part of my system now.

I log in, talk to my villagers and give them gifts, buy clothes and check the visitor of the day, then log off. Usually just takes 10-15 minutes. But if I feel like it, I change a few decor, do a bit of terraforming, or do a custom design.

It's a nice stress-reliever. I guess it's some sort of therapy.

 

[Hedgehugs]

yeah, don't worry about villagers leaving, you could be inactive for a year and they'll still be there lol.

only thing i can say about the main topic though is that you shouldn't play excessively because it'll burn you out faster but that's probably just me? when i get bored of the game i just leave it for a month or two and come back when i feel like it, but having a daily routine or redecorating your island is good motivation to keep playing from my personal experience.

 

[Etown20]

I also just recently hit this same point after playing since launch. I've had a few times in the last year where I was playing other games more, but I still looked forward to logging in, whereas right now it feels more like a chore to me. I've been good at giving myself personal goals but have just kind of run out of stuff to do, which is totally understandable a full year later.

I'm going to play some other stuff for a while and hope the spark returns at some point.

 

[Starfish10]

For some reason, I think a lot of people feel a weird kind of pressure to keep playing Animal Crossing even when they’re not feeling like it. There’s no reason to “force” yourself into playing! It’s just a video game. If you’re not feeling it, put it down and pick it up again when and if you feel like it. All games come to an end, and NH is no different. If you’re feeling that the game isn’t as fun anymore, that’s not a sign that you need to force or motivate yourself to keep playing. That’s a sign that you’ve just finished the game! Just go do something else, and don’t pressure yourself.

 

[The retro leafeon]

I personally just keep working at improving my island, plus in my opinion it's always good to take a break, that way when you come back in a week it will feel fresh (this was how I did it)

 

[Dunquixote]

I’ve been taking some breaks. I took one long one around Christmas and now this one may be another long one. I am not burnt out since my time has been decreasing; I have been more frustrated with the furniture options and not finding inspiration. It has been months since I actively tried to catch any of the fish or bugs I’’ still missing too. hopefully this will change when wedding season comes back since I was looking forward to taking good shots and making silly rooms. I’ve limited my time playing to harv’s studio, some gifts. and decorating if I have any ideas. I have some ideas but put them on hold for the event and i just have not been feeling like playing.

 

[PugLovex]

i work on my island, talk to my villagers, work on my house, work on my museum, etc! i'm such a procrastinator when it comes to my island, so i'm always busy with it

 

[Xara]

completing my catalog, meeting new villagers + earning their photos, chipping away at nook mile achievements and occasionally working on my island are all that i can really focus on now that i’ve completed everything else and while these are activities that i enjoy, i find myself feeling burnout every month or so. rather than forcing myself to play and giving my burnout an opportunity to turn into negative thoughts about the game or how i’m playing, i step away for a while until i want to play again. there’s absolutely no shame in taking a break and you don’t have to force yourself to play if you’re not up to it; your island will wait for you and like already mentioned, villagers thankfully won’t move out without talking to you about it first in this game so if you do take a break, you won’t have to worry about anyone being gone when you come back.

however, if taking a break isn’t what you want, some/any of these activities might help to keep things fresh for you if any of them are of interest - work on expanding your catalog and/or your nook mile achievements, work on earning villager photos and moving out any villagers that you don’t plan on keeping around/move in villagers that interest you, grow any hybrids that you might be missing from scratch, craft one of every diy, work on obtaining any items or diys that you might be missing or want, decorate your island or home, catch any critters that you might currently be missing, etc.

 

[JellyBeans]

by putting less pressure on myself to do as much!! i took a big step back from the game for a while and absence really does make the heart grow fonder. now it's kind of part of my daily routine to hop on for at least a while to gift my villagers and perhaps chip away at a few nook mile achievements, but it's no big deal if i don't get round to it or if i get on the game and just don't want to do anything at all. if you just take it slow and do what feels 'right' hopefully you won't put yourself off the game entirely by forcing yourself into things you're not passionate about

 

[Moritz]

I like to build up friendship with villagers and collect their photos.
Seeing new faces can keep your island feeling fresh.

But if you're not feeling it, you're not feeling it.
Don't stress about trying to keep playing. Villagers will stay unless you tell them to leave. And you can't force yourself to find something fun.

If you want a break, take that break. You won't regret doing so.