Animal Crossing: New Horizons producer hopes fans can use the game “as an escape” in light of what’s happening in the world
With the coronavirus becoming a global pandemic, many people are staying inside and self-quarantining in hopes of avoid a further spread of the disease. That means many are turning to entertainment, including video games.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons may not have come at a better time. Speaking with The Verge, producer Hisashi Nogami said that he’s “very disheartened and saddened by the events happening across the world”, but Nintendo is hoping that “a lot of the Animal Crossing fans will use this as an escape, so they can enjoy themselves during this difficult time.”
Nogami’s full words:
“We’ve been planning this release for quite some time, so it’s unfortunate that this timing overlapped with what’s currently happening in the world. I am very disheartened and saddened by the events happening across the world. Considering the timing, we hope that a lot of the Animal Crossing fans will use this as an escape, so they can enjoy themselves during this difficult time.”
Unlike Animal Crossing: New Leaf, which came out several months before the rest of the world, New Horizons saw a simultaneous global launch. Director Aya Kyogoku mentioned that this “is a really good approach for the franchise” given how “you want to enjoy with other people, and talk about it, and share the experience with your friends and family”.
