With the Nintendo Switch 2's release soon and no word about a new Animal Crossing, it's probably safe to assume that we won't see one anytime this year, which is unfortunate. Even though the Switch 2 will debut with another big Nintendo hit, Mario Kart World, the lack of an Animal Crossing announcement may still hurt initial sales.

Animal Crossing is one of the biggest cozy games for players of that genre, other than Stardew Valley. It has been huge for the Nintendo Switch and previous Nintendo consoles. While there is likely still an intention to bring a new Animal Crossing game to the Nintendo Switch 2, it could end up being several years from now, when the Switch 2 has become somewhat old news.

Animal Crossing Brings In Cozy Game Fans

Being A Nintendo Exclusive, Animal Crossing Brings Players To The Platform

When you think of a powerful gaming console, your mind might immediately go to the Xbox Series X, the PS5, or even a custom-built PC. However, it's unlikely the Nintendo Switch makes that list, and if it does, it's probably last. Of all the available options, the Nintendo Switch is a great mix of traditional consoles and handheld gaming, making it great to have in addition to other gaming consoles. For this reason, it has somewhat become the preferred option for cozy games.

Therefore, when Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched on the Nintendo Switch, it was the perfect game on the ideal console. It pulled in the cozy gaming community, which caused many to purchase Animal Crossing: New Horizons and a Nintendo Switch entirely since it's a Nintendo exclusive. This does wonders for Switch sales and all the cozy games on it, since it brings in a new community of players to the platform.

Cozy Games Have Been Huge For The Switch

Animal Crossing Is The Main Reason Many Even Own A Switch

While it wasn't with the Switch at launch, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a momentous event when it launched on the platform. Releasing in March 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons had the somewhat fortunate timing of being released right at the point when the world seemingly came to a halt. With millions of people now stuck at home with nowhere to go, most were looking for anything to the time, and then came ACNH.

Taking the world by storm in 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons provided a much-needed escape from reality. I can still the flood of posts every Sunday morning as people discussed Turnip prices for the week, the videos detailing new ways to update your island, and everyone sharing their small accomplishments at the end of the day with each other.

The influx of people finding this unique way to stay connected during such an isolating time encouraged others to in until Animal Crossing on the Switch had become a defining moment. Through this, several people discovered a newfound love for cozy games, which the Switch was perfect for and stocked full of. Quickly, this became the ideal way for both AAA studios and indie developers to offer cozy games to players, and thus, the Nintendo Switch became synonymous with cozy gaming and the staple platform for that community.

Nintendo Switch 2 Needs Animal Crossing Players

Without Animal Crossing, Cozy Games On The Switch 2 Will Suffer

With all that being said, without releasing a new for the Nintendo Switch 2, there's no real reason for the cozy community to jump to the Switch 2. Most cozy games run perfectly fine on the Nintendo Switch due to their less demanding specs, and the ones that don't, like Disney Dreamlight Valley, are offered on virtually every other platform. So, with no issues pushing them to the Switch 2 and no new exclusive game, most players will likely remain on their original Switch until time or holiday deals push prices down.

Unfortunately, while this could harm Switch 2 sales, the bigger impact will fall on other studios developing cozy games for the Nintendo Switch 2. These different games rely on the pull of Animal Crossing to bring the cozy gaming community to this platform, so without it, sales for this genre are bound to suffer on the Switch 2. From there, studios may stop prioritizing this platform for their games and focus elsewhere, which will mean less for the community once a new Animal Crossing finally drops on Switch 2.

Overall, cozy games have been huge for the Nintendo Switch, so with no ACNH sequel to maintain that momentum near the Nintendo Switch 2's release, we'll likely see a negative impact on the cozy genre as a whole for the platform moving forward. However, other titles have the potential to hold down the fort in the meantime, like the resurrection of Tomodachi Life with Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream, but only time will tell whether it's enough to pull in the same number of players that Animal Crossing typically does.