All Articles: Animal Crossing: New Horizons

It’s raining Bells as Animal Crossing: New Horizons becomes the best-selling game of March 2020

Posted on April 21, 2020 by John Scalzo

Multiple states attempted to “flatten the curve” of the coronavirus pandemic throughout the month of March by shutting down non-essential businesses, and The NPD Group’s recent report (via Twitter) about the month’s best-selling games absolutely reflects this strange new world.

Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons, without the benefit of digital sales (the consolemaker doesn’t supply them to NPD), was the best-selling game of March 2020. According to analyst Mat Piscatella (also via Twitter), it’s impressive debut has already set a new sales record for the franchise, and it trails only Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Smash Bros. Brawl for best first month sales by a Nintendo-published title.

The game also helped sell a lot of people on the Switch, as Nintendo sold more Switch consoles in March of 2020 than they did when the system launched in March of 2017.

With gamers doing their part and staying home, the entire industry surged ahead alongside Tom Nook, Isabelle, K.K. Slider, and the rest of the Animal Crossing crew. Total game sales were up 34% over March 2019 ($739 million vs $550 million), while total hardware sales rose 63% ($461 million vs $282 million).

And Animal Crossing: New Horizons isn’t the only new release that’s popular with players right now. MLB The Show 20 (#3), Resident Evil 3 (#4), Doom Eternal (#6), and Persona 5 Royal (#7) all debuted in the Top Ten. Looking further down the list, new games such as Nioh 2 (#11), Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX (#15), and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered (#20) all snuck into the Top 20.

You can find a complete breakdown of The NPD Group’s list of best-selling games from March 2020 after the break. (more…)

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons inspired a new Switch design set to launch on March 13

Posted on February 1, 2020 by John Scalzo

Nintendo is getting ready to launch Animal Crossing: New Horizons for the Switch on March 20, but the game’s islandbound stars have also inspired a brand new design for the hybrid console, which will available in stores a week before on March 13.

Unfortunately, the Special Edition Switch package (which’ll be priced at $299.99) won’t contain a copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but it will include a pair of pastel Joy-Con controllers, a dock featuring Tom Nook (and his Nooklings), and a animal-speckled system. Animal Crossing-themed Carrying Cases designed to fit the Switch and the Switch Lite will also be available on the same day.

You can get a sneak peek of the special edition Switch console inspired by Animal Crossing: New Horizons after the break. (more…)

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