"We seek to make" Animal Crossing "a common language"

• Eight years after the previous episode of Animal Crossing , New Horizons has just come out at the right time to make (a little) forget about confinement with the possibility of going out without certification or going fishing.
• 20 Minutes spoke with game director Aya Kyogoku about a game-world that is becoming a social and beneficial phenomenon.

"What if you left everything ... to live on a desert island?" The poster campaign for the new Animal Crossing took on a whole new meaning with the coronavirus crisis and the implementation of containment. Already eagerly awaited by fans, eight years after the previous main episode, New Horizons finally came out just in time to make (a little) forget confinement, and go for a ride without certification, fish at the water's edge, hunt Easter eggs, decorating your home, making friends ... Like, many players on the networks comment, "live [their] best life", confined or not. 20 Minutes spoke with game director Aya Kyogoku about a game-world that is becoming a social and beneficial phenomenon.

My best life #AnimalCrossing pic.twitter.com/ZQ7bZoG0iK

Why did you choose a desert island in the middle of the ocean as a playground?

We have been thinking about how to make the Animal Crossing experience new for both those who play it for the first time, and those who have been fans of the series for a long time. To achieve this, it was necessary to change the most universal element of the franchise, namely the village where the player moves, which he does not know and where he must make his living. As we tried to remove the concept of "village", thread by needle, we ended up with a desert island.

This morning I had my breakfast facing the sea while waiting for the sunrise, it was magnificent #AnimalCrossingNewHorizons #Dodocode pic.twitter.com/0c2O1Px7DZ

"New Horizons" is perhaps the most complete game in the series, was the idea to offer not a new episode but the ultimate episode?

With each development, we always want to make the latest installment the best game possible. It was the case on New Leaf and it is still the case with New Horizons . Afterwards, everyone, especially the fans, has their favorite episode. I think it's the charm of long franchises like Animal Crossing , the players talk about the differences, the evolution from one game to another. We always keep it in mind, we do not want to crush the memory and the affection that the players have for old iterations, we seek on the contrary to what they keep in memory their lives in the different Animal Crossing games , as well as the real life events they went through while playing.

What is the most important new feature in "New Horizons"?

Everyone has their own way of living in Animal Crossing , so the same goes for gameplay, which is considered "important" differs from player to player. You could say that crafting offers new options and additional depth to the classic features and gameplay of the series. Plants, trees ... the flora gains a role beyond simply making beautiful in the landscape, it can provide natural resources that the player can collect. The latter can also obtain tools and furniture outside the opening hours of the island's stores.

Here are the items you can make with cherry petals! 🌸 The floor lamp and the clock are available in two colors. #ACNH #AnimalCrossingNewHorizons pic.twitter.com/fMgI7OWB79

Another feature is the new currency, Miles Nook. Because there is no real goal or way to end the game, some may be lost at first, not knowing what they are supposed to do, or even what they are free to do. . The game offers a lot of freedom, but the flip side is that you have to spend time figuring out what to do, and how you want to do it. The Miles Nook program helps overcome this obstacle. We created it so that as you play collecting the Nook Miles, a short-term goal, you start to notice the possibilities the world around you has and then set your own goals. I hope that novices will appreciate and that aficionados will try it.

How to define the spirit "Animal Crossing"? A world game to escape?

Players are free to play Animal Crossing as they wish, so I think their spirit can be defined differently for each player. One thing is certain, however, we are trying to make Animal Crossing a kind of common language, the starting point for communication between a wide range of people. And I'm not just talking about making it visible to other players online, but also in the sense that people, who like to build their island, decorate their room, talk to animals, also like to talk a lot about the reality of this life and what they're doing there. We can therefore say that life in Animal Crossing is a part of everyone's life and world.

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