Few games this year have generated as much buzz asAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, with the village building game arriving just as coronavirus hit, it gave many people an escape. The game’s reach extends well beyond the Nintendo Switch at this point, withAnimal Crossingand IKEA collaboratingon a catalog that features in-game designs that match IKEA furniture featured in the company’s actual catalog. It has been such a phenomenon that even the competition can’t help but praise the game, with the VP of Gaming at Microsoft Phil Spencer offering some complimentary words for the latest game in the franchise.
The game’s cute aesthetics and peaceful, yet rewarding gameplay not only captured the imagination of children, but drew in an older crowd as well.Adults were drawn intoAnimal Crossing’ssoothing rhythm of daily life on an island, as fears over coronavirus dominated the news cycle. It was just what people needed, and as Spencer took the virtual stage for an Xbox presentation at Tokyo Game Show, he was quick to praise the “iconic characters and games” Japan has created over the years.
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Spencer went on to shout outAnimal Crossingspecifically, saying that these games “are highlights in the gaming histories of hundreds of millions of players across the globe.Yakuza,Metal Gear,Biohazard,Persona, Dragon Quest,Final Fantasy, and even more recently the phenomenon ofAnimal Crossing.” Fully aware of how hugeAnimal Crossinghas been,Spencer even appeared on Animal Talking, a talk show set in the world ofAnimal Crossing, streamed to Twitch.
The game has even caught the attention of the Democratic Party, withJoe Biden and Kamala Harris usingAnimal Crossing: New Horizonsto campaign. Trying to reach the younger electorate, or those who might not be as interested in politics, by creating campaign signs inNew Horizonsis an interesting tactic. It shows how the game has garnered a great deal of mainstream media attention since its release in March.
Spencer has likely been busy overseeingMicrosoft’s acquisition of Bethesda, a move that has thoroughly rocked the video game world. The massive pickup gives Xbox Series S & X fans something to look forward to, with the potential for exclusive titles to land on Xbox in the future. Despite the wrangling of a huge business deal, and a console launch on the horizon, Spencer isn’t too busy to offer praise for a competitor. It is nice to see the Microsoft boss talking up the strength of the competition, and showing genuine reverence for Japan’s gaming industry in general.
