Nintendo Switch 2 Has The Chance To Fix Animal Crossing’s Most Annoying Limitation

Published May 3, 2025

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Custom image by Katarina Cimbaljevic

While it hasn’t been confirmed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will get an Animal Crossing game, the runaway success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons makes a sequel almost completely inevitable. The next title on the newest console presents a unique opportunity for the company to do away with one of the most annoying limitations in any of its first-party series — only allowing a single save of the game to the console.

Allowing the next Animal Crossing to utilize the new console is the best choice, especially for families who can’t purchase multiple consoles just to allow their children to have their own AC town. The next game on the Switch 2 should make sure to allow player saves per console, especially as prices for new games have been on the rise.

Animal Crossing Has (Mostly) Always Limited Players To One Town

Focusing On One Town Was Meant To Be A Feature

As a series, Animal Crossing has always emphasized having a single town for players to meet, grow to love, and take care of. Building special relationships with the villagers while decorating a town or island is meant to take time and effort, which is partially why most Animal Crossing games have limited players to one island per console. The idea of AC was that players would invest in their single town and that it would continue changing even when they weren’t playing, so having multiple towns might ruin that experience.

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While there have been workarounds for this One-Town-Limit in the past, like purchasing multiple copies of the game for older titles, Animal Crossing: New Horizons completely restricted itself by tying its in-game town to the console, rather than the game card. No matter what profile a player uses on their Switch, there can only be one island per console, which is very disappointing for anyone who shares a console with their family.

Families Are Especially Limited By Having Only One Save

Animal Crossing New Horizons Resident Services Interior

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the most successful Animal Crossing game in the series by far, but unfortunately, new and returning limitations like the one town per console requirement can be restrictive. While some considerations regarding how online play might work with multiple saves per console can be made, this limitation doesn’t make a lot of sense, and it makes Animal Crossing a difficult game for any family in which multiple people use the console.

Any household with multiple kids or even interested parents is unable to have separate island adventures unless they purchase a second Nintendo Switch, which is a huge cost just for another island. Having to share a town in Animal Crossing might sound good on paper, with the ideas of community and collaboration present in the game, but it makes it difficult for anyone in a family to experience a solo, relaxing island without having to make concessions to their siblings, parents, or kids.

The Switch 2 Should Allow For One Town Per Profile, At Least

A New Console Gives The Series A Chance To Change

The Nintendo Switch 2, which is already up for preorders in North America, comes out this June, and it has already been revealed to be much more powerful than its predecessor. This has sparked hopes that the next Animal Crossing sequel, whenever it comes in the future, will be able to maximize these technical improvements by providing more in every aspect of the game. More complicated islands, more multiplayer areas, and more in-depth NPC dialogue could all be strong changes. Regardless, the next sequel in the series should consider providing at least one save per profile on the console.

Animal Crossing characters with the Switch 2

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While it does make sense that Nintendo might want to prevent players from abusing the system and creating two towns to trade with each other on one system, the limitation is too strict on people who share a Switch. Simply placing a block or limit on trading between towns created on the same console would solve that potential problem. The Switch 2 should take this opportunity to allow multiple saves on one console to create a better experience for families, especially considering that families sharing a console are a target demographic for Animal Crossing.