Nintendo has never rushed to imitate its competitors. Instead, it has consistently prioritized uniqueness in its consoles and games instead of comparing itself to companies like Microsoft or Sony. The company’s inclinations towards its family-friendly entertainment have often led it to success. However, taking notes every so often from competitors like PlayStation could actually benefit it—especially when it comes to one of the most anticipated titles that has yet to be announced.
The successor toAnimal Crossing: New Horizonshas Nintendo fans waiting on the edge of their seats, alongside a wishlist of features that improve the player experience. When it comes to the game that will take on the torch fromAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, Nintendo might benefit from taking a page out of the PlayStation playbook – specifically, PlayStation titles’ effective use of New Game Plus (NG+) modes.
Over the past few years, NG+ modes have become a staple of PlayStation exclusives. Games likeGod of War Ragnarök,Horizon Forbidden West, andGhost of Tsushimahave introduced NG+ featurespost-launch, allowing fans to replay the game with retained items, upgraded stats, and new challenges. It’s a system that adds long-term value to single-player experiences without demanding multiple save files or forcing players to lose their progress. For a game likeAnimal Crossing, which is famously a one-save-per-console experience, a similar approach could be exactly the kind of innovation needed for its next big installment.
A Persistent Problem in Animal Crossing
One of the biggest criticismsAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsreceived from players was its rigid save structure. Players were allowed only one island per Switch console, and there was no official support or venue for multiple save files stemming from a single system. While this encouraged a sense of permanence, it also discouraged experimentation. Once an island was established and decorated, players had little reason to start over—unlessNew Horizonsplayers were willing to bite the bulletand wipe away hundreds of hours of work and hard-earned items.
For a game that thrives on creativity, this limitation felt counterintuitive. Many players longed for a way to experience the early days of island life again, to feel the excitement of a tent-dwelling morning destined for gathering resources with stone tools. But starting from scratch meant losing all furniture, DIY recipes, and progress, a price most weren’t willing to pay.Creative solutions toAnimal Crossing’s save file problemcould guarantee that the fandom bounces back from its slumber stronger than ever.
What an Animal Crossing NG+ Could Look Like
Nintendo doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel to fix this. A New Game Plus-style mode, introduced weeks or months after launch, could solveAnimal Crossing’s island-reset problemelegantly. Players could choose to begin a new island while carrying over specific elements, like cataloged furniture, collected DIY recipes, or Bells stored in the bank. Players could start fresh, but with the ability to decorate freely from day one, or quickly populate their growing town or island.
This wouldn’t just appeal to longtime fans. An NG+ mode would encourage replayability for casual players, allow forthemedAnimal Crossingislands and seasonal redesigns, and prevent burnout by offering new beginnings without hard losses. It would also align with how many modern games reward returning players: with options, not obstacles.
New Game Plus Isn’t Unknown to Nintendo
Animal Crossing: New Horizonslet players “flatten” their islands with theterraforming tools, effectively offering a blank slate without deleting the save. But it was far from ideal. Trees had to be chopped, paths manually removed, and buildings moved one by one at great cost. This system was tedious and time-consuming, hardly the breezy, cozy gameplayAnimal Crossingis known for. So, it’s about timeAnimal Crossinggot the treatment other games have received in the past—even Nintendo games.
Nintendo has dabbled in second chances before. NG+ allowed folks toplay as Luigi inSuper Mario Galaxyonce they beat the final boss for the first time. If Nintendo did this over a decade ago for a beloved game, they can replicate that same magic with a franchise that is begging for the change. A built-in NG+ mode forAnimal Crossingcould replace this awkward workaround with something streamlined and satisfying. Considering the life-sim genre is only getting more competitive with titles likeInZOIand the upcomingParaliveson the rise, it’s in Nintendo’s best interest to makeAnimal Crossing’s systems more flexible and future-proof.
The Timing Has Never Been Better for Animal Crossing
With the Switch 2 on the horizon andAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsreaching its content ceiling, Nintendo has the perfect opportunity to evolve its next entry in the franchise. The pandemic-fueled success ofNew Horizonsshowed just how vast and diverse the player base has become. This next generation of fans wants depth, variety, and most importantly, options.
Borrowing a NG+ system from its PlayStation rivals doesn’t meanAnimal Crossinghas to sacrifice its identity. On the contrary, it’s a chance to expand its creative possibilities while respecting the time and investment players put into their islands. The unexpected muse in PlayStation’s design could mark a true debut for theAnimal Crossingseries in next-gen gaming. A second life shouldn’t require sacrificing the first one. If PlayStation can make NG+ feel like a reward, there’s no reasonAnimal Crossingcan’t do the same—adorably, of course.
