We've seen a lot of games attempting to cash in on the success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons but this shamelessly takes it to the next level. If you've browsed the Microsoft Store at all in recent times, you might have stumbled across a page for...you guessed it, a PC and mobile game with the same name.
Yes, the Microsoft Store is selling "Animal Crossing New Horizons" by HugoStudioLab for just £2.49 / $2.99 - what a bargain!
Seriously though, apart from the name and some official artwork, it's got absolutely no resemblance to the real thing. Alarmingly it's been available since 23rd March this year. Here's the description and some screenshots. It's strikingly similar to the arcade mobile game Crossy Roads:
"Animal Crossing New Horizons An animal farm has let its animals escape. Help them to cross the city without being run over. - 5 different characters. - Difficulty increasing. - Table of top scores."
So, long story short - it's a Crossy Roads rip-off that's simply borrowing the name and some promotional artwork of the latest Animal Crossing title for Nintendo Switch.
If you're wondering what the heck is going on here, it's all tied to the fact that there seems to be little to no moderation on the Microsoft Store. It's not the first time we've seen something like this, either. Just earlier this year, Microsoft's Edge Extensions Store was reportedly hosting illegal copies of Nintendo games like Super Mario Bros. and Mario Kart 64.
We're sure this listing will be removed ASAP, otherwise, Nintendo's ninjas will no doubt be on the case. Oh, also - don't buy this!
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[source microsoft.com]
Comments 32
Nintendo will use Zanmato again on that fake game.
Anyone seen Soulja boy? Seems like his kind of thing.
Oooh, FIVE characters. Will wonders never cease???
Animal Crossing: New Horizons on PC!
that's Awesome! and it's cheaper than the switch version! i'm gonna definitely buy it!
the graphics looks so much better on PC than it does on switch too!
HugoStudioLabs did an amazing job on the PC version!
Lol serieus... I wouldnt even download it for free.
Waste of space.
Hey, at least we can say New Horizons is better than one "animal Crossing" game.
I mean if anyone buys this game, then is your fault all the way, I mean dude, its two bucks.
they tring to sucker poor saps
I remember when this game came out, saw fake ads but saying 'on pc' yeah sure sure...
Is this the big Xbox/Nintendo tease? Phil Spencer selling bootleg versions of Switch games 😆
So.
There is no doubt that absolutly nobody is reviewing the uploads.
I wonder how much child porn is already in that Microsoft store...
Used to love Crossy Road back in the day.
Crossy roads a rip off of frogger, animal crossing a rip off of crossy roads... I see a never ending cycle here..
Looks way more fun and cheaper than the real deal tho
Honestly there's more moderation of the Microsoft Store than the Google Play Store. As a developer, I've seen some of the trash that other devs have attempted to put in the MS Store and MS has denied it, whereas the Google Play Store will just let anything fly. I've had my apps denied by Microsoft before, whereas Google just accepts mine in (though in all fairness I am a pretty well established developer on both).
Sadly, I'd probably enjoy this more than the actual Animal Crossing lol.
Soo... this is what microsoft has been teasing us, with a switch in the background!
This is mildly amusing, but the lack of moderation on all these App Stores is appalling. Tons of illegal stuff, but also potentially dangerous stuff. And these store running companies (Microsoft, Apple, Google) are huge, make insane profits, and are pretty hot on any breach of their copyright!
Bit of a clickbait headline there. As pointed out in the article, it's not a fake Animal Crossing game at all, rather they've ripped off the name and artwork - probably in the hope of a few more sales and some publicity (the later obviously worked!).
When I used to develop games in my freetime and release them on the microsoft store, they go through a authentication check and a check by a microsoft rep to ensure quality and make sure it isn't a scam or something broken. Guarantee you whoever at the support team for microsoft store approved this just got fired.
I mean, the title doesn't lie.
Funnily enough, Duckstation is a PS1 emulator that uses that same blocky Duck graphic as it's logo.
Quick!
I'm gonna buy it right now!
I've skipped reading the article and assumed this is an endorsement of the game!
(🤣)
Is a slightly altered Brewster in it? If so, instant buy!
Similar to Animal Rescue 3D on google play.... :
@Dpullam Just Played it!
@Snatcher thats bs, it's very much the fault of the poor moderation at the microsoft store.
These developers are preying on clueless parents buying this for their kids or mentally challenged people that can't do their own research.
It's pretty disgusting, that company needs to get banned from ever releasing anything again.
@dBackLash I mean I kinda agree with you, about the clueless parents and kids, but if you just go and buy this bc you went "Oh wow look how cheap this animal crossing compared to this animal crossing" then ya, I can't say it wasn't there fault, (And yes they should have never put a game like that on the store in the first place) Like you can't be cheap and don't think you will get a cheap product, its almost like if I saw a DBZ Statue on amazon for
only 20$ it a high and I go to this other site and find another DBZ statue, and its 60$, if I buy the 20$ one of the two things will happen. 1 it will be cheaper and parts probably wont stay one very well, or two, its a fake and looks nothing like the one they showed,
but if I buy the 60$ I will be getting what I asked for. Sorry for my long ramble I didn't really need to tell you all that but I just got caught up in writing it LOL. All in all I Agree with you about 98%
@Aozz101x No way did you really buy it LOL.
"Fantasy violence, mild blood".
there is a dark island for you . . .
@Snatcher No.
@Flashlink99,
Wow, you thought up that line all on your own, well done.
@VoidofLight,
never miss a chance in every comment section I see.
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