New content in Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been essentially non-existent throughout 2022, but limited-time crossover events could help breathe fresh life into gameplay. New Horizons has just entered its third year and has seen several exciting updates that added content and objectives to the game. The Happy Home Paradise DLC and 2.0 update in the fall of 2021 brought thousands of new items, while special events give players something to look forward to. However, with gameplay getting repetitive, some new content could be a welcome announcement for Animal Crossing players.
Unfortunately, alongside the official announcement of Happy Home Paradise last year, it was confirmed that New Horizons wouldn't be getting any further paid DLC or large-scale updates in the future. While this may be disheartening for many, it may not include smaller updates to already established events, or the possibility of new crossover events to celebrate milestones in other series. Crossovers have already been seen with the Super Mario event in 2021, as well as the inclusion of Sanrio villagers and items added through Amiibo Cards. Both crossovers gave players a chance to celebrate multiple favorite games at once while adding to the variety of content found in ACNH.
Adding new crossover content could also be a way to solve the boring events in New Horizons, potentially introducing new temporary events for players to jump in on. Currently, New Horizons is recycling past event content with no new expansion, giving those who have already experienced the event and collected the DIY recipes, decorations, and rewards minimal reasons to participate for the third year. One-time crossover events could help give players something new to look forward to, as well as new inspiration or options for New Horizons island designs. It could also be a fun opportunity to bring the communities of multiple fandoms together to celebrate favorite characters, storylines, or upcoming game releases in a unique way.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Could Be Celebrated In Animal Crossing
Pokémon is a widely popular Nintendo franchise that many Animal Crossing fans also enjoy. The bright worlds, interesting creatures, and fun adventures are a great way to spend the afternoon. Both the Animal Crossing and Pokémon series have been around for more than two decades, with numerous notable characters, logos, and items appearing in different crossovers in recent years. Because of this, the Pokémon series could be a great option for a potential Animal Crossing: New Horizons crossover event, and offer players a range of fun Pokémon-themed decorations for island homes.
A Pokémon crossover event for 2022 could be particularly exciting, as the upcoming Gen 9 Pokémon games Scarlet and Violet are planned for release later in the year. A Scarlet and Violet crossover event could be set for sometime after Halloween, with an event mascot based on a key character from the new games visiting New Horizons islands. Players could have the chance to shoot Poké Ball present balloons from the sky, collect Pokémon's Apricorn items around their island, and trade their findings with the mascot for a chance to obtain Scarlet and Violet-themed decoration items, clothing, and DIY recipes.
Additionally, players could have a chance to find classic Pokémon DIY recipes hidden around their islands during the event, offering an opportunity to craft Blue's iconic hat, build basic Poké Ball furniture, or craft adorable Pokémon plushies of classic starters like Pikachu, Charmander, and Squirtle. This would give fans of both old and new Pokémon games a chance to add to their New Horizons collections, and even expand on Pokémon-themed New Horizons island designs.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Could Team Up With Disney For An Event
While not a video game crossover, a chance to see a collaboration between Disney and Animal Crossing: New Horizons could be particularly exciting for New Horizons' players. Disney, which is known for both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a collection of popular animated movies among many other projects, has already had a busy year with the recent release of Pixar's Turning Red in the early spring. A summer event celebrating the popular animated film could bring a variety of fun changes to New Horizons islands.
A Turning Red crossover could introduce a red panda event mascot on New Horizons islands and even include a few red panda villagers. Throughout the course of the event, the player could need to help the Turning Red event mascot with a series of tasks to get ready for a big concert. Players could craft items, decorate a space on the beach, and find needed resources scattered on their islands to help prepare for the event, while also having the chance to buy a red panda costume from Able Sisters. DIY recipes for panda ears and a tail could be hidden on the island, and the mascot for the event could also offer Turning Red-themed decorations and DIYs as rewards for accomplished objectives.
Additionally, adding crossover events to New Horizons for popular franchises like Star Wars could be exciting. While Star Wars isn't releasing any big movie projects this year, the iconic items and characters of the universe could offer a unique crossover opportunity. Instead of a large event, this crossover could be simple, with a Star Wars week offering players the chance to craft Light Saber wands or purchase Jedi cloaks from Able Sisters. Players could even have the chance to buy a Star Wars-themed Gyroid from the Nook Shopping app during the event that makes the same sounds as R2-D2, offering a fun addition to personal New Horizons Gyroid collections.
While it seems unlikely ACNH will add a large number of crossover events in 2022, even just a single new opportunity could be a big benefit for Animal Crossing players. With many bracing for a long, empty summer, even a Nook Shopping-specific crossover event could be a welcome change from the standard rotations of Fishing Tourneys and Fireworks Shows that make up most of July, August, and September. Hopefully, further crossover opportunities will become available in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, adding to the ways players can combine favorite games and franchises.