We Need To Talk About Those "Year Round Updates"

[EvilTheCat6600]

I'm an adult with a job of teaching kids, so I guess I can speak to both points. The Switch being a mobile console negates the idea that seasonal updates are okay for PC because it's mobile. And as far as students are concerned, I don't assign homework because when I did in the past, it didn't get done, because of things like GTA, Fortnite, and CoD.

Granted, this isn't a one size fits all response, but I'm not a fan of calling out the negatives of something that is for all intents and purposes resoundingly positive.

Well I don't really do much any of those three games. Most of my non-Nintendo stuff is usually the traditional third party RPGs, some indie titles and stuff like Lumines. I'm like 2/4 Nintendo, 1/4 PC, 1/4 older systems (Genesis and PSP are my non-Nintendo consoles in the apartment at the moment).

So the closest thing I know about live events in games are the monthly events in Pocket Camp. I know someone in an early post before I got to yours mentioned they know Overwatch is pretty good with handling events so I guess it depends on the developer too.

As for the negatives, my worry about events requiring more play time then some might have is really more of an opinion based off my experiences of sometimes feeling having a garden event, fishing tourney and scavenger hunt in one whole month (alongside goals) overwhelms me just a bit sometimes.

So I'd prefer something a little more Pre-Pocket Camp easy going for stuff like Halloween or Toy Day, but I'm definitely still excited for the game overall. But hey, I won't complain about those who like live events, I just wanted to share my thoughts and open a discussion.

 

[rezberri]

As for the negatives, my worry about events requiring more play time then some might have is really more of an opinion based off my experiences of sometimes feeling having a garden event, fishing tourney and scavenger hunt in one whole month (alongside goals) overwhelms me just a bit sometimes.

So I'd prefer something a little more Pre-Pocket Camp easy going for stuff like Halloween or Toy Day, but I'm definitely still excited for the game overall. But hey, I won't complain about those who like live events, I just wanted to share my thoughts and open a discussion.

i don't think acnh would ever have events like in acpc. acpc's constant events are to retain user's attention to the app because it's free to play, meanwhile acnh is a game you buy, for quite a bit of money. and the regular holidays will return because this is a mainline animal crossing game and it just wouldn't feel the same without basic holidays; the game is more suited to the 365 play that mimics everyday life rather than whatever acpc could be considered.

 

[John Wick]

I hope there aren't live events.
I've already played PC, and don't want the same in this game.

All those back to back events.

AC for me, is an offline game.
I only go online to trade.

 

[pocky]

I don't know enough about those events to form an opinion, but that's going to suck for people who don't have access to the internet on their console.

 

[DJStarstryker]

I think it's actually mainly for the TTing thing. I don't think they're saying TTing is bad, they just want to keep things a surprise longer. My reasoning behind this is the fact that they're giving us the Bunny Day update on day 1. They wouldn't need to give us the update that soon if they weren't trying to get used to the fact that TTing to do events super far in advance isn't going to be as much of a thing anymore.

And if you're wondering why bother doing Bunny Day that way at all - it's probably not JUST to get us used to it. Then reviewers who get the game in advance can't spoil anyone on Bunny Day events either.

I am not sure if they will change the holidays every single year or not. Will Bunny Day in 2021 be the same as Bunny Day in 2020? It might. Or it might not. But if it is, then the update just prevents you from enjoying the holiday for the first time too far in advance. You could feel free to TT to the holiday after the update probably, but you just can't do it beforehand.

I don't know enough about those events to form an opinion, but that's going to suck for people who don't have access to the internet on their console.

Yep. That's my only issue with it. It doesn't affect me personally per se, but it's still a thing. Honestly though, most modern gaming seems to require internet connections at some point. It might not need to be all the time, but with so many games having updates... It must be rough to be a gamer now if you don't have access to the internet for their console.

 

[Speeny]

Guess I’m not overly worried about it.

Though, as I’ve said previously I think if we need to download updates in order to access holidays, it might mean that once the game is unsupported years later we’ll just be left with the base game? Could be wrong though.

For me if anything the game will come down to overall island design anyway. Once you’ve played through the holidays once it’s good enough. Unless they’re changing things up annually.

 

[pocky]

I think it's actually mainly for the TTing thing. I don't think they're saying TTing is bad, they just want to keep things a surprise longer. My reasoning behind this is the fact that they're giving us the Bunny Day update on day 1. They wouldn't need to give us the update that soon if they weren't trying to get used to the fact that TTing to do events super far in advance isn't going to be as much of a thing anymore.

And if you're wondering why bother doing Bunny Day that way at all - it's probably not JUST to get us used to it. Then reviewers who get the game in advance can't spoil anyone on Bunny Day events either.

I am not sure if they will change the holidays every single year or not. Will Bunny Day in 2021 be the same as Bunny Day in 2020? It might. Or it might not. But if it is, then the update just prevents you from enjoying the holiday for the first time too far in advance. You could feel free to TT to the holiday after the update probably, but you just can't do it beforehand.



Yep. That's my only issue with it. It doesn't affect me personally per se, but it's still a thing. Honestly though, most modern gaming seems to require internet connections at some point. It might not need to be all the time, but with so many games having updates... It must be rough to be a gamer now if you don't have access to the internet for their console.

It doesn't affect me either. But I can see it affecting a lot of people like maybe kids since some parents are wary about giving younger ones internet access. Also, I know that when I was in university I wasn't able to connect my 3DS to the school WiFi at all. It wasn't a problem for me since I didn't live on campus, but my friends who lived in dorms could only play games offline.

Another thing that I wonder is how this will affect the game in the long run. I mean, I'm guessing that Nintendo isn't going to be updating this game forever. So what will happen if someone wants to play New Horizons in 2060? Will they have to play without having access to any holidays?

Anyway, I don't know the full details so I won't knock it until I try it. But I hope that at the very least I'll still be able to celebrate events in New Horizons twenty years or so from now.

 

[KazooSquirrel]

I wonder if it could be something as simple as updating unique prizes for the events? Sort of like how for a while on NL we could check online for gifts, maybe for a while they will put in special gifts or something, but otherwise the event stays the same?

It's hard to guess really. I hope for minimal online requirement, because as others have said, I prefer to think of AC as an offline game with online options. When online becomes mandatory for things it becomes a bit aggravating.

 

[John Wick]

And all these downloads are going to take up memory.

I haven't got the switch yet, but doesn't it all store on the console?

Seriously, Zipper and Jingle events shouldn't have to be DLC. Me, broken record, I know, but it's a data drain as well for my phone (being the wifi router.)

 

[rezberri]

Anyway, I don't know the full details so I won't knock it until I try it. But I hope that at the very least I'll still be able to celebrate events in New Horizons twenty years or so from now.

i was wondering about that too then i realized we pay for online access now so maybe it'll be out longer/be out as long as we pay for the sub?