My theory on updates and missing content.

[AquaMarie]

*Edit*

I'm going to bump this because we just found out that Leif is in fact coming for Earth Day. I figure we can discuss our theories on how they will bring back other NPCs with update

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I just thought I'd share some of my thoughts on this, since it seems to be on most of our minds.

I honestly think there is a lot of content hidden behind updates so that they can discourage excessive TT-ing and avoid things being spoiled. I think they are trying to set a "slow and steady" pace for us, and give us continuous things to look forward to.

If you are playing normally, without TT, and got the game on launch you should still be around the time where you are getting your next three villagers moving in. At this pace, it seems like we will probably have RS upgraded, the campsite built, and our full roster of 10 villagers right around the time Bunny Day festivities are about to start. IIRC Bunny Day festivities last from April 1-12th.

After Bunny Day I have a feeling that many of us will begin unlocking terraforming and will probably have a ton of cool items and recipes by then. The terraforming and decorating our towns will keep us busy for a while. Also the bug off and fishing tourneys. I think after all that we will get some kind of new update.

Missing NPCs are linked to missing features. So for example, I think after getting access to terraforming it would make sense to get an update where Leif comes (on Earth Day would be cool!). It would be a good time to simultaneously release a new shop upgrade to include room for Leif to sell bushes and things like that. Farther down the line there could be a Gracie update that would simultaneously upgrade the shop again.

The Brewster update could easily include gyroids. Who knows, maybe they could add more depth to it, such as getting rewards from Brewster for showing him certain numbers of gyroids.

Of course there's more that they could add in...Redd and unlocking art, etc. You get the idea. So basically I think they plan to space things out over time to continuously give us things to unlock and look forward to.

Sorry for the long post lol.

 

[Melchoir]

I was discussing with my sister last night the possibility of an update which includes the option to pay to expand the museum (kind of like in New Leaf) that would add Celeste (either as the observatory or the museum shop) and an art section. There definitely seems to be some scope for having an upstairs in the museum due to the layout of it.

 

[mayorapple]

Normally I'd say to just accept what we have been given but with all the stops they've pulled to curb tting or cheating I think this might actually be true.

 

[Sansy]

I honestly think there is a lot of content hidden behind updates so that they can discourage excessive TT-ing and avoid things being spoiled. I think they are trying to set a "slow and steady" pace for us, and give us continuous things to look forward to.

That's exactly what I've been thinking too!

Edit: Actually I don't think it's okay to talk about data mining on here or so I'm gonna withhold my statement of what info I've seen online. But I do feel confident that we will see familiar faces in the form of updates to the game. Kind of almost like an MMO?

 

[Xara]

i agree with everything you said - with how much freedom this game has given us, it wouldn’t make sense for a bunch of npcs and features to just be gone

 

[lexy_]

Normally I'd say to just accept what we have been given but with all the stops they've pulled to curb tting or cheating I think this might actually be true.

my thought exactly, a lot of people are time travelling to complete the museum and to expand the shop so I think Nintendo want us to play the game slowly because they said that ACNH will last for years. I miss the NPCs so I hope it is true.

 

[Kaiaa]

The beginning is a little slow and I understand why people are trying to time travel, but I encourage people not to time travel too far. You don’t want to spoil the game because you weren’t taking it easy. I hope they do add future content, especially Brewsters and gyroids because they are so cute and fun to make music with!

 

[Rosch]

I'd like to believe that everything that is currently absent in these games would be slowly put in through DLC.

The limited resources and facilities brings the emphasis of isolation. We are on a deserted island after all.

 

[itscharles]

nearly every game in modern times is being released with dlc in mind, just look at sword and sheild. acnh isn't incomplete, but it was certainly released with the intent of incorperating more features as a surprise for the future. just look at new leaf and the huge amiibo update and the very frequent dlc items it'd release. not to mention they made a BIG deal about events now being DLC, too. the game is LOOOONG as a time traveller i can say with certainty this game is meant to keep you playing for a while. having surprise content updates to keep us going is the best way they can do this.

also a sidenote: same devs as splatoon worked on this, which is also extremely DLC heavy and a good idea of how things might go down in the future

 

[Krissi2197]

This is exactly what I was thinking! Those who dont time travel will absolutely have enough to do before the first big update comes out c:

 

[JKDOS]

As someone who isn't time traveling, I can say I am most happy with things so far.

For example: I haven't progressed to the first Nook's Cranny upgrade, so the fact that a second upgrade doesnt exist doesn't bother me. Nintendo will add this when it's time.

Everything is moving at the pace Nintendo has intended. Really, I think people should slow down the TT'ing and enjoy the game as it was intended...In real time.

Sure it's annoying mail is only delivered once a day, but we can all learn to wait. I spend most my days in game earning bells for my loan. I have added 3 rooms onto my house, and my next loan is about 750,000. This is now so high that it will take me 1.5 days of fishing to pay off.

The only annoying part of the beginning of the game is the hourly music not being available.

Town Hall

Spoiler

Tom Nook told me today that the RS tent will be closed tomorrow as they upgrading to a town hall. So I'll have it on Thursday. This means it takes exactly 1 week to get the town hall

I have a lot to look forward to each day as one who isn't time traveling. I'm looking forward to the town hall, and after that, Abel Sisters, and Nook's Cranny 1st upgrade. This could be weeks away, but by the time it happens, Nintendo will likely drop the next expansion.

 

[Yuina]

I really, really like how they are doing things and this is coming from a time traveller. Even for us there are things we have to wait for and that keeps us excited!

 

[cheezu]

I think you're definitely right.
Before people could just TT to events like the Bunny Day or Halloween.
I think they're essentially trying to discourage that and keep us looking forward to something.
I just had my second villager out of the 3 move in. I love this pace of gaming.

 

[AquaMarie]

Bump

 

[Fridaynightcatlady]

Yep. This is what I'm thinking as well. I do believe some NPC will be cut regardless (I don't see Digby or the Alpacas coming back, at all). But I can definitely see other - more renown - characters to come back either through events or shops/buildings.