More than two years after its release, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has surpassed expectations for the Animal Crossing game’s lifetime sales. Even though Nintendo has stated that it won’t be releasing significant updates for the game after version 2.0, which comes out in November 2021, the game is still very well-liked and has a sizable fan base. Along with the free version 2.0 upgrade, a paid DLC called Happy Home Paradise was made available. It contained a ton of intriguing new stuff. The DLC, which rekindled interest in the game and encouraged gamers to return to play Happy Home Paradise for themselves, allows players to create holiday houses for ACNH locals. 

What is the History of the Game?

In March 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a Nintendo Switch-only game, was launched. Many people attribute New Horizons’ unexpected popularity to the fact that it was released when lockdowns were required because of the COVID-19 epidemic. With its swift assimilation into lockdown culture, ACNH helped players maintain their spirits during a period unlike any other. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the second-best-selling Nintendo Switch game of all time after Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. They have lifetime sales exceeding 38 million copies and over 22 million copies sold internationally between March and July 2020.

Just How Successful is the Game?

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has sold an estimated 15 million more copies between August 2020 and March 2022, according to Statista. In 2020, the year of the wildly successful debut of New Horizons, 31 million such sales took place. Even though sales in the years after 2020 were far less impressive, New Horizons has now sold more copies than all other Animal Crossing games combined. Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been around for a while. Its current popularity spike courtesy of Happy Home Paradise proves that quarantines weren’t the only factor in the game’s viral success. Even in 2022, more than two years after its initial release, the most recent Animal Crossing game is still among the Nintendo Switch’s most-played titles.

Why is the Game Still So Popular?

Despite Nintendo’s announcement that significant updates to New Horizons would cease following the release of version 2.0 and the paid-for DLC Happy Home Paradise, the game continues to get updates with minor adjustments like bug fixes to keep it up to date. To keep players active and interested monthly, Animal Crossing: New Horizons includes many limited-time events like Halloween and Christmas Eve. In-game competitions like Bug-Off and Animal Crossing’s Fishing Tourney, which offer prizes for catching bugs and fish, respectively, are also anticipated by players.

Until the release of the next Animal Crossing game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is still a perennial favorite among Nintendo Switch players and members of the Animal Crossing community. Considering that the game has sold 38 million copies since its release and the average trend interest is between 4 and 6 percent, you may estimate that more than 2 million of the 38 million people who purchased ACNH are still regularly playing it. Additionally, many Animal Crossing players are children and teenagers!

Do you still play Animal Crossing: New Horizon for the Nintendo Switch? What aspects of the game do you still enjoy?