Nintendo’s E3 2019 Direct finally lifted the curtain on the next mainline Animal Crossing game, New Horizons, which is heading to Switch in March 2020. French outlet GameKult managed to sit down with the game’s director Aya Kyogoku and producer Higashi Nogami to discuss the game, and we’ve got some choice quotes below regarding the delay, Nintendo Switch Online app support, and even amiibo (translated via Google.)
You have unfortunately had to announce the delay of the game during the Nintendo Direct. What is this delay due to?
AK : With the Animal Crossing franchise, we want players to experience the game as long as possible, well beyond a single year. We did not want to rush things, to ensure that everything was in place. That’s why we are going to take a little longer than expected. Unfortunately, I know we have disappointed some fans as a result of this announcement, but we want to make sure everything is ready for the game to be fun at the time of release.
In New Horizons, you introduce the Nook Phone. Do you also plan a dedicated application in real life to synchronize exchanges?
AK : We want to make sure that everyone can play without making this kind of companion app necessary to enjoy the experience. That’s why we prefer to avoid making it a pre-requisite. That being said, we will take advantage of the Nintendo Switch Online application for voice chat , and we are also planning other things for the future through this.
Do you plan to take advantage of the touch screen and feature customizable items?
AK : We wanted to make sure that New Horizons uses many features of the Switch, both portably and docked. When users play in docked mode we want to make them easier to handle with a traditional control method. To answer your customization question more specifically, there are My Design elements borrowed from New Leaf that will be in New Horizons .
HN : In summary, we designed the gameplay for a classic grip but there will also be elements designed for touch.
With the advent of cloud saves and automatic backups, how will you handle Mr. Resetti’s interventions?
HN : New Horizons will not be compatible with cloud backups, to avoid manipulating time, which remains one of the founding concepts of the series.
Can you confirm that Animal Crossing New Horizons will be compatible with the amiibo range?
AK : Given the number of cards and figures available, we obviously think New Horizons will be compatible with amiibo, but I can not tell you more about this compatibility at this stage of development.
Good news for amiibo collectors out there but the cloud back-up revelation may prove frustrating if you ever lose your saves.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons launches March 20th, 2020.
Desperate for even more New Horizons info? Peruse our comprehensive list of absolutely everything we know about Animal Crossing: New Horizons so far!
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Written by Tom Brown
Whether it’s an exciting new entry in a series long established or a weird experiment meant only for the dedicated, Tom is eager to report on it. Rest assured, if Nintendo ever announces Elite Beat Agents 2, he’ll be there.
