It appears that there is yet another video game clone, but this time, it has been spotted on the PlayStation Store rather than the Nintendo eShop. The title itself appears to be very similar to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and the creation of clones of video game titles is becoming more and more frequent.

The clone title in question is titled "Anime LifeSim", and the images posted to Reddit by MagusPSU show that the game was very obviously created in Animal Crossings' ​​​​​​likeness. The description of the title further proves how similar the titles are, and fans are curious as to how something like this can continue to happen. More so, fans are somewhat making light of the situation, claiming it is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

An Animal Crossing New Horizons Clone Sparks Conversation On Reddit

Fans Claim This Is A Nintendo Lawsuit Waiting To Happen

Clones have been popping up quite rapidly lately, including one for Unpacking. While these two titles in question were seen on the Nintendo eShop, it seems creators are branching out and creating clones of popular titles for other platforms as well. Taking a look at the PlayStation Store, the description of the Anime LifeSim title states,

"Rich Social Life: Form friendships with unique animal neighbours, each with distinct personalities. Build Your Paradise: Design, decorate, and expand your home while helping develop the town."

While there is no definitive proof that this is meant to be an Animal Crossing clone, the signs are most definitely there. The images showcase avatars that look almost identical to those from AC, and the key features of the game resemble everything we know from the AC franchise. While having animals as neighbors is not new to the video game industry, the daily activities such as catching bugs, crafting, gardening, and discovering fossils do make it seem as though this is a clone of the popular title.

Our Take: More Clones Are Popping Up On Several Platforms

While Titles Can Be Inspired By Our Favorite Titles, They Shouldn't Be Identical

While fans can't seem to get enough of Animal Crossing as a whole, whether it be New Horizons or Pocket Camp Complete, these types of AI-generated titles can be harmful. Allegedly, fans of the franchise did a bit of digging and found out that this is not the first time the developer of Anime LifeSim has potentially pirated titles, as commenter Chazrinelli found an article that showcases a previous sentencing of the developer. While curating titles in the likeness of other games is not illegal, taking AI-generated images that are almost identical to a major title is not something fans will settle for.

The cloning of popular games seems to be a major trend as of 2024 and 2025, and while some find these games to be funny, others believe in this case that Nintendo will stop the release of Anime LifeSim in its tracks. The future of the clone in question remains unknown. For now, fans of the Animal Crossing franchise can get their fill of quirky animal villagers from the real titles.

Source: Reddit