The reception of Animal Crossing: New Horizons has arguably exceeded the lofty expectations of even the most discerning fans, and it couldn't have come at a better time. Millions of people are enjoying the game around the world and there's been an outpouring of love for it across social media. It's been a big topic in our conversations with family since release and a welcome distraction with COVID-19 dominating news channels across the globe.
That's not to say reaction to the game has been universally positive, though, and there is one particular decision Nintendo made for this Switch entry that's still a sticking point for many gamers; namely, the fact that you can only have one island per Switch. That isn't one island per copy of the game, mind; that's one island forever (more-or-less) tied to your console, regardless of how many copies of the game you buy.
The 'One Switch, One Island' policy was perplexing from the beginning. Nintendo added same-console multiplayer to the game which enables up to four players to run around the island together with one taking the 'leader' role, but the limitations while playing this way quickly become clear after the initial novelty wears off. The fun of playing Animal Crossing has always been customisation and the ability to personalise everything about your village. Few other games cater to the whims of an individual quite like this one, and in some ways having to share feels like it goes against the game's design.
In New Horizons, progress is locked to the primary resident - the Resident Representative that names the island and kicks things off - with other Switch users living on the same landmass having to share resources. You're getting a diet version of the full-fat experience reserved for the main player, and while it's still fun to catch bugs and fish, you're missing out on a lot.
It's unsurprising, then, that people are looking to invest in second consoles for their family members and loved ones. In Japan there's been a swift uptick in the number of consoles sold, and that's understandable given the quality and wide appeal of the game (it debuted at Number 1 in the UK charts, too). This writer used it as an opportunity to upgrade to a Switch with better battery life while doing a family member a solid and selling them our impeccably maintained 'old' Switch at a great price. Everyone's a winner, not least Nintendo.
We imagine that we weren't the only ones with family investing in the system just for Animal Crossing. In fact, that same relative is thinking that they may now need a second console for someone else living under the same roof, a person whose experience with gaming begins and ends with Animal Crossing: New Leaf on 3DS. It's highly likely that their household—which previously had zero Switches—will have two before long. Say what you like about the policy, but from a business perspective Nintendo certainly knows what it's doing with 'One Switch, One Island'.
The simple fact is that the game is good enough to make a new console a sound value proposition and investment. Played a little (or a lot) every day, Animal Crossing can last for years as the seasons change and things cycle in and out. From that perspective, £250 for a Switch Lite and a copy of the game is an excellent deal. £500 for two Switch Lites and two copies of the game may well seem steep, but for those with the disposable cash it still offers great value and lets two people have the full and 'proper' Animal Crossing experience. After all, nobody wants human neighbours in Animal Crossing, do they? That makes things far too real.
Despite being an unpopular decision, it doesn't appear to be stopping people from going out and buying another Switch, plus another copy of the game for the family. New Horizons has had an excellent start in sales terms in the week since release, but we're very interested to see how the game affects Switch sales over the coming weeks and months, especially seeing as Nintendo's first-party output for the rest of 2020 remains largely unknown beyond the Xenoblade Chronicles remaster. Switch has a stellar line up of system-selling software already, but New Horizons appears to be encouraging a wave of more casual gamers to put down money three years after the console launched.
Our impression of the game's positive effect on Switch console sales is largely anecdotal at this stage, though, and we'd like to see how many Nintendo Life readers have also bought a second Switch for their household primarily due to Nook and co. Feel free to answer the poll questions and let us know how many of you are now living with two (or more!) Nintendo Switches under one roof.
How many Switches have you got in your household? Go ahead, feel free to make us jealous in the comments below.
Comments (199)
I brought two switch lite's and one standard switch. One for the kids and one for my wife. I play the standard one.
Raises hand.......we already have 3 in the house but all 3 kids have their own island. I wanted mine so my Switch Lite arrives Wednesday.....yes we will have 4 now.
We had 2 switches to play Splatoon 2. Animal Crossing is a bonus.
There are already 2 switches in my household, but one of the owners does not understand the appeal of animal crossing in the slightest
I suppose my brother did. His old switch was broken and he got lucky and picked up the Animal crossing switch from walmart before his shift at 1pm. Before Animal Crossing he didn't really care to replace it.
It's almost as if they planned this... nah, they wouldn't do that.
My kids share an island on one Switch and I have my own island on my own Switch. I’m not sharing resources with those fiends.
This article is just bait, pure and simple, if it wasn't there would be no need to include "Properly" ? in the title, no doubt it will have the desired effect.
@Spoony_Tech Did you buy 3 or 4 copies of the game?
I only bought the game b/c the kids did NOT want to play it. But if we had 2 Switch I may still only buy 1 copy of he game and let them share it as if we had 1 Switch and 1 copy of the game.
I unsurprisingly chose #5 in the vote. My son will probably get his own Switch when he goes to college in however many months but that won't be in the house, he'll be an adult w/ his own stuff. Would put him on a Family NO plan though, I'm not a barbarian.
I actually like sharing the island with my gf. I would like to choose that option in the questionnaire.
Me and my youngest brother split the price for a switch at launch and we're the ones who mainly play it. We've been sharing an island, and honestly, I really enjoy it. When I'm not playing he is, and he's adding more things everywhere, making the island feel livelier, and when I get back on, I get to see what new things he added, and vice versa. However, when our brother joined just to try it, that was kind of annoying, as there is now just his tent sitting there taking up space, and he'll probably never play again. So I think sharing an island just depends on who you share it with and how invested they are in the game
I have two Switches already, except nobody to share them with so one's just a spare that sits in a cupboard. My housemate is getting pretty tempted to buy Animal Crossing I think but she has her own Switch already.
I'm contemplating getting a 2nd but not for Crossing......more for my own sanity as everything is being used all the time and I'd like a Switch just for me to keep myself occupied
I have 5 family members who use Switch. The stupid 1 island per console instead of account means we’re passing on AC
@NorrinRadd Same thing here. I've never tried Animal Crossing and honestly, I thought I thought it'd be a good thing to get now where my family is stuck inside the house and I think my daughters would love it. But upon hearing this, I've decided against it. Multiple copies of the same game is one thing, but multiple consoles? I'd need 3 for each of us to have our own island. What a turn off for newcomers.
I have kids and I dont like to share. So I have 1 switch and 2 lites in my home.
Bought my wife an animal crossing edition switch for (not surprising) animal crossing lol. It wasn't that local play would be a problem but we would rather play simultaneously on our own islands anyway whether in single player or multiplayer.
We have 2 Switch's but still play Animal Crossing "Properly" on one Switch with no issues.
So far my son has been able to do everything that I have been able to, though admittedly his progress is behind mine and that sounds like the only potential issue. All they really need to do is patch in the ability for people to be able to overtake one another's progress
The decision to make it a shared island is honestly pretty disastrous, and sacrifices WAY too much to have a feature most people don't even want to use.
Anyway, my immediate family all bought Switch Lites in anticipation of the game, so... kind of? The island decision wasn't really a motivating factor. They would have bought Switch Lites regardless.
@johnvboy Nintendo designed the game this way, family members who want their own island have to buy another Switch.
The real bummer of this is that my daughter started playing first, and thus she is the bottleneck for all progress. Therefore, I don’t ever play on my own profile. When my daughter goes to bed and I wanna relax and play animal crossing, I have to play on her profile to get anything done in the town.
@NorrinRadd I don't really understand the anger against 1 island having to be shared...
In the last non-handheld AC (GameCube), a lot of the fun was sharing the town with family members.
I'm with @Stroopwafel on this. I'd rather share my island with others. It's more fun that way.
We play Splatooon online together so I bought a 2nd and 3rd console a long time ago.
Oh, gosh...
Please don't make it too fun, Nintendolife staffs. 🤣🤣🤣
One little, Two little, Three Nintendo Switches
Four little, Five Little, Six Nintendo Switches
Seven little, Eight little, Nine Nintendo Switches
Ten Little Nintendo Switches
@konbinilife
Do you have 3 teenagers?
Technically my two daughters are in college and no longer at home, but I did buy them a Switch Lite for AC (they need to buy the game 😁).
To fund the purchases, I have been selling games on eBay that I no longer play (DS, 3DS, & Wii). It had helped to declutter too!
Where option "I not playing in Animal Crossing: New Horizons on my Switch and not gonna do it"?
@konbinilife I don't really understand the anger against 1 island having to be shared...
The Wii didn't have profiles. People expect it to behave more like other games on systems with multiple users and rightly so.
You didn't need multiple Gamecubes, DS's or 3DS's to have multiple towns for different family members. Just extra memory cards or copies of the game.
I'm with @Stroopwafel on this. I'd rather share my island with others. It's more fun that way.
The Switch CAN do both, shared islands and an island per profile. Nintendo just won't allow it.
@Cotillion you never tried AC, please don't disregard it based on this. In fact, on the gamecube version
You had 1 town, and 4 people could make a character in that town. So it hasn't changed. It's more fun that way to all live in the same town/island with your family.
It was only different with DS and 3DS AC because those are handhelds and rarely shared.
I already had a second Switch (I have a Lite and a Red Box Switch)
Playing this way, while enjoyable, is still a pain, as the island is kind of small. Maybe for two people, that would be ok, but for a family of four, it kinds of put limits on the game you wouldn't have otherwise.
I said I would be passing on this game for that reason, and I bit the bullet because hey, COVID-19 and all that staying at home thing, and I thought that would be something cool all the family could enjoy... well, while it's fun, it's not "great".
You have to spend half the time cutting down the trees the kids are planting every-freaking-where, you have to constantly tell others to NOT pick up all the fruits on the island... First player who plays on a day gets all the fossils and the shop limited items...
While there are fun moments to be had for sure, you have to "police" everyone to play fair all the time and leave stuff for others. And this is not "fun" work.
For such a family-oriented game, it sure is hell for families.... and no way I'm going to spend near a grand on getting three other switches and copies of the games.... I mean, WTF....
@rjejr No I have a 4th copy on the way.....we can all play together on anyone's island that way.
“I already had more than one to begin with”
Needs to be an option
@NorrinRadd no lol. But the first time I played AC i was 1 of 4 teenagers and we all managed to share the same town.
Buying another console just to play the same game but have a different island sounds idiotic.
It should have been one island per copy or something like that.
We already had two Switches for the fact we wanted to play Paladins and Overwatch together.
So AC isn't going out of their way to make me get another.
I don't get the "on principle" wording of the last choice. Where's the "One Switch is fine because the game works as designed" choice?
There are easy workarounds to a lot of people's issues.
If you're trying to play on the same island with a bunch of people who don't know how to share, this seems like a great tool to teach those lessons.
It reminds me of The Sims. Back in college, we used to joke that it was a real test of a relationship to see if a couple could manage a shared household in that game without getting into terrible arguments.
@brideck What you describe doesn't sound like fun. The game is supposed to be fun, right?
@Crono1973 In what way am I not having fun? I still get to fish, hunt bugs, buy things, donate to the museum... What is missing from my Animal Crossing experience?
It's a game built around mundane activities. What's adding a handful more to that list?
And really... choices like the shared warehouse save me from having to carry wood around in my pockets or eat up the storage in my house with that stuff.
@brideck I didn't say you weren't having fun but trying to regulate how everyone plays doesn't sound like fun to me.
I bought the girlfriend her own Switch because she would have been very unhappy with the multiplayer situation as is. I would have not have my Switch for a long time so it was the best route
@brideck this exactly how AC used to be and what I was expecting anyway. I find sharing it with real people adds to my enjoyment of the game.
For me, the only big negative is lack of save data backup/transfer.
@Crono1973 It's not about regulation, though. It's about collectively coming up with ideas and making decisions that benefit everyone.
I save money and time in the long run because of all of the things I talked about above.
@konbinilife this exactly how AC used to be
It used to be that each family member could also just get a separate memory card or copy of the game as an option. Now that option costs $260-$360 per person.
I’m the only gamer in the house, so it’s not a problem and I can’t afford a second Switch anyway
@Crono1973 A Switch lite is only 220 euro here. And unless you want to play at the same time, you don't need two copies of the game.
Didn't do it just for Animal crossing but yes we have multiple switches and I bought 2 copies of the game so my kiddos can play together/separately
@Crono1973 that's true. and with profiles on Switch, one would naturally expect each profile gets it own save file. But then how would people share an island?
Unless the island were saved to the cartridge... Which is how it should have been done.
I can't argue against that. Then you would also only need to buy a new cart (still more expensive than a memory card) to make a second island.
I'm just surprised how many people seem to take such an issue with this. And are completely against sharing the island. To me that goes against the spirit of AC.
@sanderev unless you want to play at the same time, you don't need two copies of the game.
Unless you want your own island.
We already had two Switch consoles, but have a copy for each. My wife started playing last week and got hooked, it is her first Animal Crossing game.
I bought a Vita
Yep, four systems four copies of AC.
I’m pretty sure the game is exactly how the developers wanted it to be.
My friend and his gf share an island and they’re loving it. Their island also puts my island to shame because there’s almost round the clock work happening.
@commentlife I’m pretty sure the game is exactly how the developers wanted it to be.
I can't vote 😭
As we are a gaming family (and likewise if you are) we've had 2 Switches since launch and gameshare. Why a gaming family wouldn't have 2 is the bigger question here. If I'm being honest, I've tried getting an Animal Crossing Switch since the pre-orders opened so we were going to be a 3 Switch household.
@Crono1973 Of course Nintendo had a hand in it. They're all about the couch co-op.
I had a near launch switch and bought myself a switch lite shortly after they came out because i love the portability. Since Animal Crossing has come out my girlfriend finally wants to use my older switch constantly. So we are now truly a two switch household because someone is actually using each of them. I did end up buying a second copy of the game though so she and i could visit the other's island.
Other than 'we can sell more Switches' what is the reason for the one Switch one island policy?
@brideck Of course Nintendo had a hand in it. They're all about the couch co-op.
...and selling consoles, more game copies and NSO.
I got 3 of them. Got the Animal Crossing Switch for myself. And my two daughters love AC too.Fortunately it is close to their birthdays so they somehow choose a Switch Lite....
I only decide to get a Lite about less than a month before AC release. If I see it less than the retail price. ( Already plan when Lite announced that I will only get it if it's less than.)
So now we have 2.
Splatoon 2 made me buy a 2nd Switch back in 2017. I dont remember anyone review bombing that.
I can’t believe how many people here are out of touch with reality here. How can you expect a family under quarantine with other expenses to just go out and buy more Switches? Furthermore, who the heck wants to share an island in this game, where someone else could easily do a bunch of things completely at odds with what you want, and complete key game moments? Think about it. I grew up with two siblings and we fought over games that even had their own separate savestates...I can’t imagine being forced to share an island, especially when there doesn’t seem to be any reason not to have multiple.
I think this is a scumbag move and totally get all the 0/10 ratings. Especially since my wife and I had to go out and buy groceries for a needy family yesterday. Families have other things to worry about right now, and I don’t think it’s too much to ask for a freakin’ separate save file!
Sold my copy of Animal Crossing on Ebay. We are two but only have one Switch. I started with a main character, my girlfriend was a guest and she played a lot. I didn't wanted to continue on what she built and she didn't wanted to restart with her own character and couldn't really continue once she got to a certain point.
Its bad design. No one can tell me that this adds to the game and that it is not possible to have different accounts playing different instances of the game. Typical Nintendo-Style. I get the review bombing: its unplayable like this and an unplayable game is a 0/10 in my opinion
As a potential new fan of the franchise, I vehemently decided against getting this game on principle alone. Not paying 360 bucks for a feature every other game offers for free.
I'll stick to Stardew Valley for my farming needs.
@Crono1973 You can use the same cartridge in two consoles by exchanging it. So you only need one copy of the game.
@Crono1973,
No they didn't , they wanted families to share an Island, and did not bother about a small vocal minority on the internet, who have way too much time on there hands, wanting multiple Islands.
@Fazermint It's not a farming game. And it's not lacking a feature, it's offering an alternative. Regardless of how the article chooses to spin it, the game was intended to be a community based sharing simulator. Some people won't like that, which is fine. But it's not the same as simply lacking a feature it should have had.
@MasterJay
It's possible to delete a villager. You have to go to settings from the title screen.
@Deltath It is to me. Not gonna be a doormat just because other people are okay with it.
@brideck I am pleased to see that someone can name work-around measures, and I appreciate what you say about consultation and relationships. (Some of the best relationship advice I ever received: Do not marry someone before sharing a canoe with him/her! One learns much while paddling...)
The issue here for me, and many others, is the lack of CHOICE, for arbitrary and, perhaps, money-grubbing reasons.
I share an island with my SO. We don't mind one bit. And it's a lot of fun having two people working together on one island! I do understand people's complaints though. It would have been best if players could choose to have their own island or to share one. That way everybody could be happy! But, with that being said, sharing a village is classic animal crossing!
"The fun of playing Animal Crossing has always been customisation and the ability to personalise everything about your village. Few other games cater to the whims of an individual quite like this one, and in some ways having to share feels like it goes against the game's design."
Regardless of whether or not you personally like how the game was designed, the fact that you THINK it's supposed to be a game about isolated, individual expression is simply a misconception. The creator LITERALLY designed the game with the express purpose of creating a shared, local multiplayer community to experience with his wife and children, because he felt like they didn't get enough time together because of conflicting schedules. Sharing a town in Animal Crossing was his way of being together even when they couldn't be together. It was never meant to be about playing alone and telling everyone to piss off because they NEED to express themselves and can't be bothered to share.
Also, the constant complaint that you have to 'share' resources is mostly a bogus claim anyway. Many elements are limitless and don't have to be shared, first of all. The ones that are limited, like weeds, fruit and rock/ore are still wildly abundant and you have more every day and limitless amounts on the Island Tours. With everyone having access to their own Nook Miles+, anyone can simply play and earn enough to go on essentially as many island tours as they want, every day. And the lessened amount of lumber/ore per person is also not as impactful as you have up to four times as much labour and money making potential on the island with more people and still the same costs for many of the projects. For instance, building Nook's Cranny doesn't cost 120 Iron Nuggets just because you have four players. It's costs 30 no matter what. In essence, particularly with Nook Miles tickets, it's actually MUCH easier to work together and get those milestones with multiple people on one island than if you played only by yourself.
I get it. Some people really just want to lone wolf it. I don't really know why, considering how fun it is to build a little virtual neighborhood with loved ones. I only wish you could have a dedicated server online where people could login and out at will and build on the same island together like you get from the local shared experience.
I've had a Switch since launch. My fiancée doesn't really game, but I told her a bit about Animal Crossing (New Horizons is also my first venture into the franchise) and she was intrigued. I had wanted to upgrade to the new Switch version (for the battery time), and seeing her show even a tiny bit of interest basically pushed me to do it.
She now uses my old Switch and I use my limited edition ACNH switch.
Gone from not playing games together at all to roughly playing 2-4 hours of Animal Crossing daily together haha. Must say I'm over the moon.
We didn't want to settle with playing it on my old Switch either as I bring it for work, and she's now unemployed thanks to covid-19, so she can play all day at home if she wants.
The poll is missing an option for players who are happy to share their village with somebody.
@Deltath I could easily say: It is YOU who THINKS that Dōbutsu no Mori was intended primarily, overwhelmingly, as a "sharing simulator". My point is this: the structure of Animal Crossing, from its inception, and often through subsequent iterations, was flexible and broad enough to allow the game to be played in many ways. As a "sharing simulator"? So be it. As a "lone wolf"?" What if one had no other players to share with? In both cases - there was no loss of functionality.
The problem here is that different players are not treated identically by New Horizons' structure. The representative has access and decision-making powers that the other players have not. I challenge you to name other successful franchises, or very many games at all, which suffer from such a restriction.
Not an AC fan. My wife loves it, and we each have our own Switch. Not saying it's a bad game just not my style. I don't like life simulators. Never got into The Sims, or any of the hundreds of, mostly awful, survival games out there.
@johnvboy They didn't want family members to have their own island?
If this was Nintendo's strategy all along, that's quite disgusting, and no one should buy a second Switch out of principle/protest. It's basically them treating their customers like braindead Sheep, and it's everything that's wrong with totalitarian-like closed platforms in general.
@Deltath Why can't the game offer island sharing AND an island per profile?
It can just like the Gamecube, DS and 3DS' versions did. Memory cards and extra game copies are equivalent to profiles.
Missing the option "I quite like the one island principle..."
I voted for I wouldn’t buy a second Switch ion principle. However we were a multi switch family before Animal Crossing came out so that became a non issue. My youngest son and I both already had our own Switch Lites. That left my oldest son and my daughter to have to share an island on our family Switch.
That has actually turned out to be a great thing. My oldest son spends so much time playing with his friends that it has allowed them to build the museum and shop in no time. That makes them both happy as now they can really enjoy focusing on the actual game now.
It’s kinda BS, but also I play solo so I literally couldn’t care less
No option for "we had two already?" That's a valid way to make this a non-issue too, y'know.
All those 'Principled' Killjoys. lol
@Stuffgamer1 No option for "we had two already?" That's a valid way to make this a non-issue too, y'know.
No, why would it? 'It doesn't affect me' doesn't erase the issue.
Where is the option for “No, we already had two consoles prior to the release of Animal Crossing”?
The only way I would buy a second Nintendo Switch, is for my daughter when she gets a little older. I have a feeling she would love to play this game since she loves watching me play it. I think I would get her a Nintendo Switch Lite though.
So what I see Nintendo doing with most of their titles is thinking about a primary idea what they want to produce. Anything that goes against this primary idea they don't add in their game.
In interviews with one the creators it was said that their idea for the game was his loneliness from being away from his family and friends.
From this perspective, and I don't say it's the right perspective, it seems logical that you sharing an island is being promoted and everybody having his or her own island is not.
I do like Nintendo for sticking to an idea.
@Stroopwafel I do like Nintendo for sticking to an idea.
In this case, the accounting department likes it too.
@Kalmaro I don't exactly remember who of Nintendo said it, but they made a clear statemt some time ago that there target is to have multi-switch households. Like a classic handheld (we had 4 Gameboys around that time). So with this, they are pushing it, I guess...
@Boo-Thang Thanks! Might end up doing that if he never plays
Waiting for the Switch Pro or Switch 2 to come out for my 2nd Switch.
@Crono1973,
They wanted them to share, but the main reason they did not wan't individuals to have multiple islands, god knows how these people have so much spare time on their hands, I have my hands full keeping on top of one game.
@Deltath,
Awesome post, but a few people will never see past all of this, they are so consumed by the fact the game was not designed for every little thing they wanted, and do not see the amount of work that has gone into all the other things that make this the best Animal crossing game ever, the masses will not care however.
All people who were given a Switch as a gift or by their parent wouldn't buy a second Switch for Animal Crossing on principle. They all have very strong principles 🤣
@Crono1973
I don't say you have to like it that Nintendo works this way. However, implying that it's only a monitairy decision from nintendo's part is a bit short sighted imho.
@johnvboy They wanted them to share, but the main reason they did not wan't individuals to have multiple islands, god knows how these people have so much spare time on their hands, I have my hands full keeping on top of one game.
Different family members sharing one console. Why do you keep ignoring this?
We actually already had two switch, but that wasn't an option. if we didn't have two, I would have bought the animal crossing one so I voted that.
I regret recommending this to my sister for this reason. It’s a sh*tty move by Nintendo to not allow more than one island per console.
I had two og switches and got a switch lite shortly after release. I was already prepared for this.
I love sharing the same island, but they should add a patch that fixes the restrictions on certain game progress to only the character that started playing first. That’s ridiculously restrictive. Everyone should absolutely be allowed to experience the same game if your family bought a console and a game.
An excellent marketing plan by Nintendo. Put profit before the gamers, even the little gamers from, I guess, 7 upwards, and at a time when most people need to be frugal with spending, and who have two or more little AC fans in the family.
To any parent in this predicament, avoid the game, don't get into dept just because Nintendo refused to include an extra player slot.😮
we already had two. And I like sharing my island with my kids. I don’t see what the big deal is. If you don’t like the idea of one island per Switch, then don’t buy the game. Simple as that. Getting salty over a game that has always had sharing an island, town, city, etc...when a lot of sh** is happening in the world is stupid. This game doesn’t deserve the low scores and we knew this was a thing since long before this came out.
Don't need a second one. My daughter and I are just fine sharing resources on the island.
@Pokefanmum82 we already had two. And I like sharing my island with my kids. I don’t see what the big deal is. If you don’t like the idea of one island per Switch, then don’t buy the game. Simple as that. Getting salty over a game that has always had sharing an island, town, city, etc...when a lot of sh** is happening in the world is stupid. This game doesn’t deserve the low scores and we knew this was a thing since long before this came out.
You heard it hear folks. If you don't like something about this game just don't buy it and keep your mouth shut because the virus exists.
There should be a “no, we like it the way things are.”
My wife and I are very much enjoying our shared island, and I would hate to be on separate islands.
@Crono1973,
I am not ignoring this, but it's just not that big a deal for most people, my daughter just shares my island, we like most will have no issues with this.
@Crono1973 No, but it IS how you get valid responses from the largest sampling of the site userbase possible. I think already having two in the house for other reasons is a valid and useful piece of data.
If certain resources are locked behind the ability to either play online or visit another person's island, I absolutely do have an issue with it. I haven't yet heard whether that's the case, but with items like fruit in particular I'm beginning to suspect it's the case.
@imgrowinglegs,
This game is meant to bring people together, not push them apart with their own islands, this is why there is the Nook Miles program and so much stuff on the island, you can craft lots of furniture and make enough money with Island visits, plus the fish insect and fossils are all shared in the museum, so it does not matter who gets them, this adds to the whole shared experience.
@johnvboy My thoughts exactly.
@Crono1973,
You can complain as much as you wan't and on a personal level your issues are valid, but these restrictions as you see them were well documented before the game came out, and it does not seem to have hurt sales, so this must suggest that the majority has little issue with all this.
Of course the moaners will suggest that sales does not equal enjoyment, but if the game did sell badly, would see the sales as a vindication that they were right all along.
As of this time 29% say yes. Sounds like a successful move by Nintendo to sell more switches and a loss for consumers.
No option in the poll for me. We could afford another Switch but we quite like sharing a family island. So how about "No, I'm happy just the way things are"?
I only play by myself but i dare say i could get my wife and daughter in to if i really wanted to. Problem i have is sharing the island with them. Im more than happy for them to both be settlers on my island but i wouldnt like the fact that that if i hop on after work that one of them has taken all the resources for the day. It would plain ruin the experience for me. Also i believe im correct in thinking that they can't forward the story at all so they also would have nothing to work towards.
Didn’t need any more Switch consoles for AC. Both of my sons & I already have standard Switches and my daughter recently got a Switch Lite. Little scared about the prospect of buying Animal Crossing 4x.
@Spoony_Tech "No I have a 4th copy on the way.....we can all play together on anyone's island that way."
This week on "Living Your Best #PandemicLife"
~laughs~
Switch is best enjoyed as a personal system like Gameboy’s were
@rjejr Hey if I'm going to be stuck in the house for the next 3 to 6 weeks I want something to play as well. The kids often hug all 3 systems. Sure I can find other things to do but the wife has work Monday thru Friday and I get bored.
3 systems, 3 copies of Animal Crossing. You know how we ball son.
We share one Island on one switch, my youngest hasn't got the attention span and my oldest and I are ok to share. But I can't figure out how the second player can get the DIY recipes that the first player got from people like Blathers.
Author writes article to justify purchasing more Switches for AC and posts to allow those who already have or will soon some catharsis?
I don't know, man. It's tough for me because I won't touch Animal Crossing, but more Switches sold means higher likelihood of games I do want coming to the console so I don't feel I can slag people off for doing that.
I can't help but feel bad for those who want the option of their own island in this game on a shared console though and feel compelled to buy Switch consoles they wouldn't have because the game doesn't include the option. It feels like the sort of dick move Sony would pull, by releasing a PS4 that isn't backward compatible with any previous home console versions and forcing people to buy or rent (PS Now) any PS1, PS2 or PS3 titles they want on their PS4s. Kinda thought Ninty were better than that.
Don't get why some people need to tell others how they should play their game ( if they prefer solo and spend their own money to get additional system, why you care? ). Likewise, why some people need to tell Developer how they should make their game.
I play solo and also have a character on my kid's island. She get to either play with me on her island ( if we dock ) or if she feel like it, travel to mine.
The only 1 thing I moan about is the NSO. Have to once again hunt for my friend on app again ( the system, we can link for friend suggestion that were on our 3ds and mobile and SM. But their sub there is no such option ). I have some friends from mobile add, some were when Switch releases. So don't know how to communicate with them so we can add BF ( on ACNH ) to play together on NSO app.
Or you could just share like you are supposed to.
Im the only one in my family who still games on Nintendo systems
@johnvboy Thanks. Yeah. People generally can't see the forest for the trees. Appropriate, considering it's called Animal Forest in Japan.
4 people, one switch. We'll consider buying a second Switch if/when this one dies, or trading it in if a significantly upgraded model is released.
I need the answer "looking to buy a second Switch but they are sold out everywhere because of the Covid-19 virus"
My launch switch is acting up. It doesn't read the ad card anymore and it won't output to HDMI... Rip
Back then we shared and that still is one of the main elements of Animal Crossing - to play in the same world with multiple players.
On Gamecube and Wii we had 4 people, 4 houses, 1 village (but only one player at a time). Now it's 8 people, 8 houses, 1 island (and four players at a time).
I'm one of the few people who likes to share the island. You get much more done that way, more options unlock, and it never gets boring. One was the fisherman bringing in the gold, one was the designer bringing color to the town, another one breeded flowers (which I personally hated so I was glad to have someone else be so compelled to it), and then there was me, the item collector, providing everyone with a full catalog of furniture, wallpapers, and music. Why is that not an option on the poll?
@SKTTR One was the fisherman bringing in the gold, one was the designer bringing color to the town, another one breeded flowers (which I personally hated so I was glad to have someone else be so compelled to it), and then there was me, the item collector, providing everyone with a full catalog of furniture, wallpapers, and music. Why is that not an option on the poll?
What if the fisherman wanted to fill the catalog or maybe catch some bugs or maybe wanted to be social with the other animals? Was he locked into this role and if so, how can that be fun?
I mean, technically playing Animal Crossing "properly" is one island per household. Has been since the Gamecube.
I already owned two Switches before this game came out.
Personally, I like the idea of one island per console. But the concept of only the first player to be able to progress the story is really dumb.
My plan has always been to buy my older daughter her own Switch Lite, it's just a question of when we will have the money for it. And now is not a great time to be spending money unnecessarily. So, no second Switch or Animal Crossing here yet.
@Crono1973 "What if the fisherman wanted to fill the catalog or maybe catch some bugs or maybe wanted to be social with the other animals? Was he locked into this role and if so, how can that be fun?"
No one was locked into a role. Every player obviously has their own fish/insects collection screens, and catalog, and house to max, and bank account to fill, etc., if they want. And more players participating in towntalk resulted in new things the NPCs would say and do. The game is better with multiple players on one island, especially your loved ones.
@konbinilife. I do have fun sharing an island with my kids. But my biggest issue is the progress advancement being controlled by only the main player. I'd love to be able to build, expand and move the game along without having to wait for my teenager to get on every 2-3 days and play for 30 minutes to an hour; and then after a week be able to play for an hour or so before I can't do anything else and have to wait another week.
I already had a Switch and my 6 year old has a Switch Lite. I did buy 2 copies of Animal Crossing which was hard to swallow at first, but we've been having a blast playing in quarantine this way. I'm up late when I play and will send him gifts that make his morning. When we visit each other it's a big occasion before bedtime.
We were a three system since Splatoon 2 came out. We own one copy of animal crossing so that I can give the series one more try.
@C-Threep That's my issue too. My wife started playing first, so now all progress is tied to her, but she's lazy. They really need to patch in at least transferring 'ownership' of the island.
What about us with three in one household? Who has had them your polls are so shortsighted
I gave my OG Switch to my roommate for Christmas when she got me a Switch Lite. I do miss the TV displaying with Animal Crossing for sure.
But the funny thing is that she posted a screenshot in the museum and her mom asked her to just provide a list of what she needed to order.
Switch and Animal Crossing spreading faster than COVID-19
If you did a family member a solid as you claim then you'd just give it to them since it's outdated to you, I understand selling it to a friend but you act like a hero for selling it to a family member and that's just greedy. Also no, it's not worth it and will only buy a second one if the switch pro ends up being real.
Try three, 3, switch household. My son got his switch when it was released. I finally got mine last july and my daughter had to have it when animal crossing came out so she bought her self a switch...all three of us have have animal crossing.. and as usual dad is left out of all the island gatherings....
@Jaalsky yah, we have 3. When animal crossing got released, my daughter bought a switch and a copy of the game. So me, my son and daughter have switches and ac.
The Animal Crossing New Horizons Switch is our fourth Switch in the house.
This is in no way passive aggressively passing judgement on anyone else and what they choose to do. Growing up, we we're lucky to have one console in our household and was forced to share consoles. So the idea of having multiple of the same console in one household sounds outrageous to me personally.
I will say my 6 year old has been begging for her own Switch and of course the answer is no. She's perfectly fine using mine. Answer would be the same if she were older. Even if she were much more interested in Animal Crossing than she is and wanted her own island, there's no way I would buy a whole other console just for that. I'd tell her she better go and get a job if she really wants her own Switch. Again, that's just my personal view on the subject.
And if she and/or my wife were genuinely interested in playing AC together, I'd have no problem sharing an island with them.
We already had 2 Switches. I bought myself a new one and my wife and son their own just for Animal Crossing. They didnt want a switch until this came out. So now there are 5 in my house.
We each have one, so 5 total.
I bought the red/blue Switch at launch. Then bought the Splatoon 2 Switch for the family Christmas 2017. My stepson bought his own used early in 2018 (for around $220). We then did a second family Switch (new version) Christmas 2019. Now I bought the Animal Crossing Switch at release for the extended battery to potentially replace replace my day one Switch. But I am strongly considering gifting that Switch to the family as well. So if and when that happens we will be a five Switch family, crazy.
I voted yes. But truth be told, I already had an old model Switch which was modded and used to run emulators on. The performance of the emulators and maturity of other homebrew was disappointing however, so it's now unmodded and repurposed for Animal Crossing.
30% says yes. Thats crazy high and one of the reasons why Nintendo allows only one island. They know families buy 2 switches and 2 games just for this game. It's been happened since Wild World.
(also, allowing more than one island per system will allow one player to horde tons of goods on 8 files, drop off at friend, then back and forth, repeat. Am I the only one who knows this is the MAIN reason why there is only one island per system? Come on people, THINK!)
I have two Switch Lites and original Switch docked near my television. I think my family and I are set!
I don’t mind sharing - I think there should be an option. But I am disappointed that as a second player I can’t even place bridges/inclines. That’s just scummy from Nintendo
I always intended to buy a second Switch for our household of two platonic soulmates that can share many and diverse things, but there are hard and fast limits we have discovered over the years. We shared an island on the GameCube version and it was, shall we say, less than Ideal.
So, when the news that there’d be only one island per Switch came out just when I received my tax refund, I knew what had to be done for peace in our times. And thus, another Switch entered our home and peace reigned once again.
I had been looking to buy a second “HAD” Switch for the increased battery life and better thermals, so when the Animal Crossing limited one was announced, I went for it. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised because I expected them to do a Switch Lite limited. In any case, I’m in Europe and my ACNH Switch came with a download code for the game, which I installed on both Switch consoles.
PSA: You can play multiplayer with just the one digital copy of the game. I have my son playing on my primary console using his own account - a child account under my own, but that doesn’t matter as far as I know; the game simply needs to be started on the primary console of the game owner by a different account that has Nintendo Switch Online. I play on my new, “secondary” Switch under my own account. The game checks if it can be played at start (via internet) so the secondary Switch needs to be connected. Once each of us made his own island and once the airport opened, we could fly to each other’s islands fine. Important to note: this only works using the ONLINE mode, not the Local mode. Also this works for other digital games as well; we have tested it with Stardew Valley and Dauntless (though the latter is F2P so no worried there).
We had a switch before the New Animal Crossing game was announced, but when I saw the Nintendo Direct about Animal Crossing New Horizons I bought a Switch light for myself. I figured as much as my daughter and I love Animal Crossing it would spare us both a headache by getting a second one. I'm so glad I did! 💜💜💜
Solution: Make it optional. One island per account if you want to, but you can choose to share the island with someone. Everyone happy, right?
@spiderman0616 so each son has their own character and can build their own house with the limitation of having to share an island and share the local resources? That's they way this works?
@Francema Yep—sometimes they play together and cooperate on jobs, but usually they play at separate times.
@Boo-Thang Are you saying that despite using the same island you can have multiple characters and build different houses per account.
@spiderman0616 Good to know!! Thanks. That works for my little ones. Now I'm in.
Another Switch is tempting but more because the Switch has been such a popular item in my family, I probably wouldn't buy a second Animal Crossing. It would just be nice to play some if my other Switch games when my wife is playing Animal Crossing. I heard that the when primary and secondary Switch situation can be kind of a pain though.
I wish I hadn't needed to and I 100% resent Nintendo for that design decision, but my wife now has a switch lite and her own copy of the game.
@Octane Solution: Make it optional. One island per account if you want to, but you can choose to share the island with someone. Everyone happy, right?
That's what I have been saying but apparently some people don't want others to have that option. No one has suggested removing the ability to share an island.
I've been wanting a Switch lite in addition to our Switch. My wife and son like playing games too and Animal Crossing was a good excuse to get a second switch.
@Francema
Yes. There can only be one island per console. So all local accounts share the same island.
@Spoony_Tech I'm bored now, no Nook ATM, no plane tickets. I might have to play amiibo Festival today. 😜
@Octane Stop making sense Octane. 😉
@rjejr Nook is building on our island as well but I can go to one of my sons islands. 😝
It is very possible to simultaneously share one digital copy of AC across 2 switches, and therefore have 2 separate islands just by buying one digital copy.
Child 1 has had a Switch for a few years, and all the family have their own Nintendo accounts on it. This Switch is therefore everybody's "Primary" Switch.
Child 2 has just purchased the Animal Crossing Switch with a download code. Their existing Nintendo account has been restored on this new Switch, while leaving the account also on Child 1's Switch.
The download code has been redeemed under Child 2's account, so this makes it available for download on both Switches from Child 2's account.
Child 2 can now play AC on their new Switch under their profile. This requires an online check because it is not their Primary Switch.
Child 1 can also play AC on their Switch under their profile. This works because this is Child 2's Primary Switch and their games can be shared across profiles. As this is the Primary Switch, playing the game does not require an online check.
@NorrinRadd The same case here, as a fan of the game I’d anticipated it’s launch and bought it as soon as I had the money but now since all three of my sisters play it’s become chaos and since I won’t be island lead, has turned me off the game. I understand Nintendo wants money but we just can’t afford another switch let alone another game file. If you’re a big family without expendable money, you get screwed on this one.
It's a stupid stipulation, and a pure cash grab. Hope this doesn't become a trend.
@brideck Knowing there's a workaround doesn't mean it's fun. More importantly, it doesn't mean Nintendo wasn't obnoxious in their money grab, marketing a multiplayer game that doesn't really exist. That message, that it's checking to see if I'm allowed to play, every time I turn it on, is just further proof of the lengths they have gone to separate us, not get us all playing together. Such is capitalism. So, yeah, I disagree on principle.
@dartmonkey well currently I am still looking for 1 switch at retail value due to them being sold out.
I like sharing an island with my family! It is a great way to work together and practice sharing. Cooperative planning outside of the game helps keep the in game island fun for everyone.
Get over your selfishness and play this game together! It can be an opportunity to teach children or even spouses how to share resources and plan together.
The review bombing of games is pathetic and shows just how selfish some people are. Go buy your own switch if you’re that selfish or at least rate the game fairly.
Wow, what a hornet's nest of a headline.
There should have been an option for "I live alone/I'm the only gamer in the household" Because that's me. The latter.
I understand people frustrations. I do think that the one island thing should have been optional for sure. But part of the game's theme is living together. So I see where Nintendo was coming from.
If I lived with someone and shared a Switch, I'd likely be annoyed with the decision too.
@Realnoize I personally 100% agree with everything you said. This game could have been Great, instead, it's just good. So frustrated with this 1 island, 1 switch thing.
@Spoony_Tech Cheater.
@rjejr It wouldnt let me use another islands machine......there goes my nook miles streak.....
Jackpot for Nintendo. I’m sure this was all done on purpose to sell more hardware units, it’s not that complicated to tie the saves to each account.
"Has Your Family Bought A Second Switch To Play Animal Crossing: New Horizons 'Properly'?"
What a question.
Perfectly encapsulates what is wrong with such a policy.
My girlfriend's trip away for her birthday got cancelled so I funnelled the Air B'n'B money into an AC themed Switch for her.
I then got jealous and sold my release day Switch for an AC themed Switch too.
'NO REGERTS'
@Franklin,
Or people with far to much time on their hands getting upset over something nobody outside the core internet minorities even cares about, their main gripe is they can't have multiple islands themselves, of course they dress this up as family members not having their own individual islands, but in reality most normal family's with the game will either have a couple of consoles or be happy to share, because that's what the game is all about in the first place, so it is all down to individuals not getting their way, and having far too much time to sink into multiple islands etc.
@PJ5,
Yes because they were not selling enough Switch consoles before this game, Nintendo's issue is not selling enough consoles, it's getting them to the stores.
@johnvboy
I don't have the game, but it does strike me as odd as it seems to render the Switch account system useless
Apparently many of the tasks can only be done by the 'first' character, which would seem to rather go against the sharing ethos.
"god knows how these people have so much spare time on their hands"
Yes, by the look of this comment thread it would appear as though you have a very full schedule...
I assume it's only going to get worse as self-isolation kicks in.
I'm glad you're enjoying the game.
@johnvboy companies can never earn enough money. The shortage now is most likely due to coronavirus which is understandable.
@PJ5,
The console has been in massive demand since launch, and one game is not going to make that much difference imho.
@Franklin,
Certain tasks such as collecting fossils are shared in the museum, so it matters very little to which person collects them, outside of collecting bells to pay off your mortgage etc there is little else that needs to be done on an individual level, and in this respect easy access to nook miles makes the extra islands very easy to visit, and each has a lot of stuff to collect, add this to the sheer amount of materials on the main island and there is more than enough raw materials to go around.
My opinion is Nintendo see this an extension to your own life, and thus one island is per person is the right way to do this, of course they can't stop people owning multiple consoles and having an other island that way, but as people have pointed out this will not be all that common on an individual level, due to the cost.
"why can't I have an archipelago Nintendo!!?!?!?!?!?!?" shakes fist
I really feel like everyone ignores the fact that this is the way animal crossing has always been from the very first game. Animal crossing has always been about sharing the experience with your friends and family. But for some reason I never really heard complaints about sharing a town until this game. Why didn't these complaints arise during new leaf when only one person could be mayor? I'm just not sure I understand why everyone is so against sharing an island.
@GregimusPrime74I really feel like everyone ignores the fact that this is the way animal crossing has always been from the very first game.
It's been said plenty in this thread and it's been debunked plenty.
Animal crossing has always been about sharing the experience with your friends and family.
Not for everyone, many people just bought separate memory cards and/or games copies for each kid.
But for some reason I never really heard complaints about sharing a town until this game.
..because it has never costed $260-$360 to have another town until now. The cost of a memory card or the cost of an extra copy of the game was much cheaper.The Wii had no memory cards or profiles so it was like this on the Wii.
It's been said many times in this thread but now that it's been explained directly to you I hope you will finally understand.
I'm just not sure I understand why everyone is so against sharing an island.
I haven't heard anyone say that they want the sharing feature removed, they just want a save per profile added. I don't understand why people are against each profile having it's own island.
@Spoony_Tech Ah man sorry, now I feel bad about the cheater comment. 😢
You spend $1,100 on Switch and $240 on the game you SHOULD be able to use another ATM. Nook would have charged you 5,000 bells for an out-of-network fee but at least you could use it.
I thought about the "streak" as well but I think I was up to day 7 and it maxed out at 300 after a few days so I wasn't too worried about starting over. I think that may have been 1 of the reasons for doing it.
It really makes NO sense not to let the airport sell tickets though.
It's like if you drove to Detroit for a flight then they tell you to go to Lansing to buy your ticket. (I spread out buildings on my island.)
And I read to many "but that's how it's always been" comments. I'm not sure how all those Amish people are posting on here. 😉
Well I'm heading out into the pandemic to buy groceries, and boys mouthwash apparently judging by the handwriting on my list that isn't mine, and hopefully Nook is up and running again after I get back and sanitize myself. 🔥💦
@rjejr Well the good news is they continued the nook miles and will keep it at 7+ starting tomorrow. I got 500 for the day. Stay safe!
Oh and to clarify, my older 2 bought their own Switch. We kicked in some to help but they each could've bought it outright. They also bought their own copy of AC but I only made them pay me $50 so I kicked in about $25. The Lite and 4th copy will be all on me though.
@Cotillion You can just play the game as its meant to be played. My family has two switches, and we still only have one single island that my wife, daughter and I all share. We mostly just take turns playing, and everyone has been enjoying themselves. Personally I think part of the fun of the game is everyone sharing the space, even if my four year old's house looks like a deranged hoarder lives there.
5 kid / 2 parent family here = 7 ACNH users
Seems to be working out ok, but only with a schedule to share the Switch around. Resources, space, etc. don't feel compromised, perhaps it's because we're used to sharing a 3-bedroom house across seven people? 🤷♂️
Would love a second switch though, just for sharing/scheduling in these coronavirus-heavy times.
Not unless they discount for buying second Switch unit then maybe.
@Spoony_Tech Catching up on old emails, I somehow missed this one, and the long additional edit that wasn't in the email.
I remember when my kids were young and buying DS. Then they traded in those DS to buy 3DS after the $75 drop that Wii U never got - got a few $ each at Amazon. My older son needs a Switch now before heading off to college in August, if they let him on campus. Hopefully they are easier to find by then, nto paying $500 on Amazon like my sister did for the Let's Go model. He also needs a $2,600 laptop for his game design & development major (which I suppose sounds better than "video game design") so the Switch has to wait until we get that. And a new smartphone. His is a couple of years old and cracked, and we're on Tracfone and he's down to 80 texts, going to need unlimited in college I think.
Guess you're kids are really getting their money's worth out of their Switch w/ school being canceled there a month ago and ACNH being more addictive than crack. And I think you guys are getting snow again this weekend, winter never ends. I like that your family is all in on the 1 system.
2? We are a household of 5, have 6 Nintendo Switches! All our own, and me 2 because I like to have 2 islands 😂
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