Nintendo developer and Animal Crossing series head Hisashi Nogami has confirmed that the majority of players in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are actually older than anticipated, with the average age being between 20 and 40. The game has been one of the surprising hits of 2020, selling more than 22 million copies since its launch for the Nintendo Switch in March.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has managed to stay relevant almost six months after it first launched in large part due to the constant updates that Nintendo releases for the game. The developer regularly releases new content and even themed items, such as the upcoming September fall update that adds a number of collectibles to the in-game world. The title will also have a special crossover event with the Super Mario franchise next year as part of the series' 35th anniversary celebration.
Animal Crossing head designer Hisashi Nogami has confirmed that the demographic for the series is not as young as people might believe. The developer freely admits that Animal Crossing might have the image of a "game where you can live leisurely with cute animals" and that it is "a game for young girls." However, in an interview with Video Game Chronicle, he explained that the majority of players are actually in their 20s and 30s and that the gender split between male and female players is almost completely even. Nogami went on to say that the older-than-expected demographic might be because Animal Crossing: New Horizons has not yet been available during the busy holiday period.
Since its release several months ago at the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns around the world, the game attracted plenty of attention. The popularity of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is such that there are now thousands of imaginative fan creations circulating online. Along with a functioning Pokémon center complete with Nurse Joy, fans have also recreated films, television shows, and even other games within New Horizons, thanks to the in-depth customization options available to users.
Many people might be surprised to learn that Animal Crossing: New Horizons is played by so many young adults rather than just children. This might well be because of the fact that the game released just as lockdown measures were being launched around the world in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such a deep and expansive game that takes so much time to play properly launched at exactly the right time, giving those stuck in the house a welcome distraction. With the holidays around the corner, that demographic could shift back toward a younger audience as kids get the game as gifts.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now on Nintendo Switch.
Source: Video Game Chronicle