If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, in most games that run on a seasonal calendar, you’ll be used to experiencing a cold period in-game, when in reality you’re actually dying of the heat. Animal Crossing is a key title where this occurs if you (like the writer of this piece) happen to live in countries like Australia or New Zealand.
Fortunately, this is all set to change in the upcoming Switch title, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. During the half-hour preview of the game during day one of the Nintendo Treehouse Live event, Animal Crossing producer Hisashi Nogami spoke about how for the first time in the series' history, New Horizons would include a Southern Hemisphere option.
In contrast, previous releases have run a Northern Hemisphere seasonal clock. Well, that’s all set to change. In a translation, Mr. Nogami said:
The Animal Crossing fans already know this, but the game clock is actually linked to the real time, so the seasons and the time of the day – it changes according to the clock that you live in.
Until the previous titles, we only had the game set in the Northern Hemisphere, but from New Horizons we have a Southern Hemisphere as well, so the users can play in the Southern Hemisphere atmosphere.
Mr Nogami went onto provide an example:
So right now, since it is set to June [summer] in Northern Hemisphere…but if you have it set to Southern Hemisphere, it’ll be in winter.
Based on these comments, it sounds as if you will be able to experience a summer holiday period if you live in either hemisphere.
For people located in the Southern Hemisphere, it also means seasons in your game will finally reflect the seasons in your real-life location – this is monumental news if you happen to live in a certain location and are a long-time Animal Crossing fan. Meanwhile, if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you will presumably be able to experience a summer holiday period in December for perhaps the first time ever.
What are your thoughts about this? Are you going on a summer holiday or will you stick with the winter season? Tell us below.
[source youtu.be]
Comments 34
Nintendo ends Anti-Antipodean Animal Crossing policy.
doesnt really bother me either way but cool if that was something that bothered other players. always good to have more options
Cool. Bug/fish guides will be quite more confusing/convoluted though.
Unless you live close enough to the equator for none of that to matter lol.
My northern hemisphere privilege hadn’t thought of this. Thoughtful improvement!
@fiben1002 Preach!! 😂
Well that's nice.
I live in Java island, Southern hemisphere but still in Tropical area. So, i will get Australia's 4 seasons, eh ?
I think that’s cool. I would love the option to play in the Southern Hemisphere. I just wish we didn’t have to wait so long but I understand it. Still disappointed though.
We’ve always had Summer in the AC games so I’m not sure why we would have summer holiday for the “first time” ever? I thought “summer holiday” was just that month of time in Europe where tons of people get off of work at the same time
That's particularly cool, because you'll be able to visit players living in the opposite hemisphere and be able to make seasonal progress or enjoy certain aspects of the season that way.
It'll also mean stuff like Toy Day in summer for southern hemisphere players, I hope they go the extra mile and have Jingle comment on being dressed too warm or something.
It's not something that ever bothered me really but that's actually a really nice addition.
Snow in Oz or do the winter graphics change as well ⛄
if they're going that far they might as well get the real weather for my location
@Anti-Matter That's awesome! Beautiful area. I had the opportunity to visit Jakarta / Merdeka Square last year. Now back in the southwestern United States lol.
On topic, this is very good news for all my friends in the Southern Hemisphere. It also means the ability to catch winter bugs and fish when I visit their towns!
@Pokefanmum82 Now we know the reason for the delay! jk
but how do they play it with their switch upside down
This injustice had gone on long enough!
It would be cool if it was linked to a online weather service so that the game reflects the weather / temp wherever you are located.
@jockmahon : Like we go to the toilet... very very messily.
@Silly_G I was hoping you would be the one to answer, haha!
Is this a cool thing for ya'll? It means the seasons aren't flipped, right? I'm somehow confused still.
@Judgedean I remember at one point they were talking about doing that for City Folk with the Wii Weather Channel, but they scrapped it.
I just hope the map is much larger and more diverse than it appears in that screenshot, because that looks rather small.
@HobbitGamer : Specifically? I don't understand why, but I am humbled.
I for one am really glad about this new development. It's been bothering me since I had played Wild World back in the day as the seasons in-game do not allign with the real world (at least as far as us in the southern hemisphere are concerned). In fact, I had forgotten all about it until now as I had subconsciously resigned myself to the fact that perhaps Nintendo would never think to implement this considering how the bulk of the market (and the Earth's land mass) is situated in the north.
Basically our seasons will be the opposite to yours. Your summer, our winter, your spring, our autumn etc. It also only snows towards mountainous areas in Australia, so most of us have never seen snow either. It may not seem like a big deal to some, but for us it will help to make the game feel just that wee bit more immersive.
At long damn last, Nintendo recognizes the Southern Hemisphere exists!
It will still be weird to have snow in winter, though - we don't get snow here, just rain. It will be fantastic, though, to finally have the game show summer in december.
@Braz_OS I live in the US, and we call what you described a "summer break". When we say "(winter) holiday season" we mean Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year — during our winter from later November to early January. However Australia's December IS summer, so they would call it "summer holidays".
<- is happy while freezing
As a "northerner" I will stick to northern hemisphere seasons, but I really approve them acknowledging that another half of the world exists. So... nothing I'd use myself, but I'm happy for our dear Australians and co.
€: On an unrelated note, it took me way too long to realise that apple is, in fact, not part of the clock display. I blame playing farming sims what with their tendency to add a little season icon to their clocks.
Thanks to my impatient ass, my town is in the future and never synched to real seasons. kek
What i'm a bit worried about is that the island looks a bit small and doesn't have any terrain. I hoped they'd increase size over new leave and give back terrain like we had in city folk.
Never even occurred to me since I live in the Northern Hemisphere. Glad to see them fixing this for people down south.
Very nice addition. It was never a deal breaker for me but i appreciate the addition.
The seasonal care is good, but will the toilets flush in the opposite direction?
@Dan_Dan There were 25 (or 5x5) acres in NL. The mini map in the screenshot here appears to be 6x6, but each "acre" somehow appears rectangular instead of square. And only the middle 16 acres are grass land. Hmm, I'm sure it's bigger than NL, but not as big as I originally thought.
@Seananigans I’ve heard myths about this white stuff that just floats down from the sky when it’s cold. Apparently people play with it.
Edit: Oof I forgot how old this article was...
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