Animal Crossing is Just What We Need Right Now
Nintendo is perfectly positioned to be the winner of coronavirus
We’re only three days away from the extremely highly anticipated release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and people are busting at the seams to get their hands on this game.
Animal Crossing isn’t a gaming franchise with which I was previously familiar, but I’ve become a lot more familiar in the last few months since the announcement of the game last year.
The fanbase for this series is unbelievably large and extremely dedicated, so surely those thousands of people can’t be wrong.
What surprised me most about the fanbase for this game series wasn’t the size, but the variety. The franchise seems to be equally beloved by casual gamers as it is by the hardcore variety.
I was a big fan of Stardew Valley last year, so I can imagine that Animal Crossing will be a good fit for me as well.
Change.Org Petition
Even though the game is only days away from release, fans are so dedicated that they literally can’t wait.
They’ve called on Nintendo to move the release date to right now.
A change.org petition has almost reached its goal of 15,000 signatures asking Nintendo to move the release date because of the spread of coronavirus.
Here’s a small quote from the partition page:
Nintendo should release Animal Crossing ahead of its scheduled March 20, 2020 release date. Due to the mounting concerns over the coronavirus, there is no better time for Nintendo to release Animal Crossing for the world to enjoy… I encourage Nintendo to listen to the desires of the people, their loyal fans, who would appreciate the gesture of releasing Animal Crossing ahead of its scheduled release date, because now, more than we can comprehend, we could all benefit from that feeling of community and creativity that Animal Crossing can provide.
While the partition is extremely unlikely to have any effect on the game’s release date, especially since it’s already so close, it has shed light on the current plight of the world.
Perfect Timing
We are all about to be in desperate need of indoor entertainment. While (as a resident of China) I’ve been indoor for over two months, the rest of the world is just starting to join the trend.
Social distancing is becoming the norm around the world, and for good reason.
Keeping a good distance away from other people is a great way of protecting yourself from the rapidly expanding virus.
Many of us are working from home and cancelling all social and travel plans. While this is terrible for film studios and live events, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to gaming studios.
We’re all about to play a lot more games, which is great for Nintendo; especially since games that appeal to a wide variety of people are the ones that’ll have the best chance at success.
Animal Crossing is perfectly positioned to be successful at this exact moment in time.
We’re all stuck inside, and regular non-gaming people will be forced to play more games out of boredom; and what better game is there for non-gamers?
It’s also the perfect tone for the current climate.
A relaxing simulated life on a desert island where everything is perfect, and there’s no disease to be seen.
Another great feature is the connectivity of this title. None of us can leave our homes, but we can all connect with each other over Nintendo Switch Online. We can share codes and visit each other’s islands without leaving the couch.
In three days we’ll all be moving to our perfect islands where everyone is healthy, and we can do whatever we want.
Let’s see the virus try to follow us there.
COVID-19 Catch Up
While we’re on the topic of the virus, let’s take a moment to remember the important factors in protecting ourselves and each other.
- Only wear a mask if you’re showing symptoms, you’re a health care professional, or it’s enforced where you live. (So that there’s enough to go around).
- Wash your hands regularly and for at least 20 seconds with hot, soapy water.
- Avoid going outside, and if you must, keep a distance of at least 6ft from those around you.
This may sound like overkill, especially if you take your advice from the US President, but we’re past the point of getting mad at people who make a big deal of this little flu going around in Asia.
Keep an eye on the CDC website for ongoing information on how to protect yourself and your family.
I’ll see you in three days in Nintendo’s perfect, disease-free world. No masks required.
