Yes, the deductions were right: we have a release date. Smartphone game Animal Crossing Pocket Camp wi be released worldwide on November 22!
I had gathered as much, seeing that the mini game Friend Finder ended that day. The Review on NintendoLife of the European version was an indication too!
If you want to know a bit more about the game, I’d suggest you read their review. I was pleased they gave the game a 8 out of 10. You can read it here
Reading the first part of the article made my heart swell with pride, because it’s exactly what Animal Crossing is about:
It’s still hard to comprehend a series as obscure yet mundane as Animal Crossing has had so much success since its inception. Apart from minor similarities to The Sims and Harvest Moon, the concept of the original game wasn’t really akin to any other title available on the market at the time of its release. Unlike the conventional type of video game western audiences had grown accustomed to, Animal Crossing’s arrival seemed almost accidental when it was eventually localised.
How could living in a village filled with talking animals while at the same time paying off a home loan and harvesting fruit possibly be fun? It probably shouldn’t have been as likable as it was, but the level of escapism the game provided from the real world was hard to resist.
The series’ steady rise to fame over the years has been a blessing in disguise for Nintendo. Calculated or not, Animal Crossing is arguably the most successful new IP the company has created in the past two decades and the one with the brightest future.
I was dismayed though to see some of the comments people posted underneath. Sure, I’m eagerly awaiting a full new version on the Switch too, but how is mobile gaming so evil? Sure, you don’t have to like it, but there’s no need to bash it either!
For now though, I’ll take what I can get, getting back into my favorite world. And if that is in the form of this little time waster, then do be it!
I think mobile is getting hate, because it’s not going to compare to the actual game in scope, controls, deepness, etc. It also works as a free-to-play which a lot of gamers hate, because it means you’ve got to nickel and dime your way there, instead of paying the full amount up front. If they would have a $2 or $3 app like this, then maybe, possibly more love, but I’m not surprised either, mobile has seriously reduced the market for Nintendo handhelds over the years, just take a look around, and you’ll see the majority, even kids, playing on their phones, instead of a dedicated device.
Yes, even people that I know never played games before are willing to put time in mobile games. While the number of people in my vicinity that own a Switch or 3ds can be counted on the fingers of one hand!