
Nintendo has released countless updates for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but for some players, it's still not enough.
With this in mind, there are rumours currently floating around the internet about a possible update in the future that could lead to a "huge" island expansion. A recent datamine of the game's 1.10.0 patch notes has led to theories that the southern side of the island - or at least the beach section, might receive an upgrade at some point later down the line.
Here's the associated value that's been increased:
"mSouthShoreBaseline.f32: 500.00000 was changed to mSouthShoreBaseline.f32: 1000.00000" (source: dodocodes.com)
Adjustments have also been made to the game's camera files which is now fueling speculation about a second smaller island potentially being added to the game, or perhaps even a dedicated area for swimming and diving activities.
While this all sounds rather exciting, it "may be nothing more than Nintendo testing a few things behind the scenes", according to YouTuber Mayor Mori, who provides some added context, courtesy of dedicated Animal Crossing dataminers:
"The adjustments made to the Southshore baselines has been given some context, and it seems that this particular adjustment isn't relevant to the main island, at least for now. It turns out that the outdoor camera parameters are used in several instances such as on the New Horizons island or a mystery island tour for example, which obviously all use different values given the area surrounding them differ in size. And in the instance where this adjustment to the south shoreline was increased - was adjusted as part of some camera settings, they were likely only used for testing, rather than for the area of the main island itself. Furthermore, it turns out that the 'm' Southshore baseline value for the main New Horizons island has always been set to this higher value. Basically, the value has only changed in the settings, though were likely used for testing and now matches the value already set for the island if that makes sense. And if this is true, suggests nothing is being adjusted to make space for anything on the island, at the moment.
...The rumours about this feature coming in a future update doesn't seem to carry any weight."
Although we might not necessarily be seeing any island expansions any time soon, would you like to see Nintendo increase the size of the main island in New Horizons, or perhaps even add some other islands in the future? Share your thoughts below.
[source youtu.be, via comicbook.com, gamesradar.com]
Comments 45
It would be nice... Though not enough to get me to come back.
I still don't entirely regret my purchase, I got some hours out of the game. I just didn't play it anywhere near as long as the other ones. It's certainly not my fav animal crossing.
If Mario Party can get updates 2 years later... you know that Animal Crossing will get some new updates during E3.
I put in roughly 200 hrs into the game, but after awhile i found it hard to even turn it back on daily just to do daily task. I definitely do think i got my money's worth though, so im not complaining.
There are still parts of my island that I've left untouched since the beginning, over a year ago, because I don't know what to do with them, or because I've been waiting for more buildings to show up in updates, so I'm fine with the size of the island as is right now. Now I understand how people with more creativity than me would love to see this expansion happen.
That said, I'm still playing the game daily, mainly to expand my catalogue, complete the art section of my museum and kick out some uglies whenever I get the chance (next eviction : Alli).
@Rika_Yoshitake I'm 100% sure we'll get a major 2.0 update during E3 (with Nintendo's "available right now"), I don't know what is going to be in it. But, I'm sure it will happen.
@sanderev @Rika_Yoshitake I would love to be as optimistic as you, but February's last 'big' Nintendo Direct and the underwhelming anniversary update have put me in a different mindset. I hope I'm wrong, though!
@echoplex Nintendo releases stuff when they think it's ready, and then it can be a very quick release. Especially if you're talking about updates. (Look at the Mario Party update) Also Nintendo does this sort of thing all the time. And their digital E3s all have had at least one big "available right now / after the show"-announcement every year.
Also Animal Crossing New Horizons is one of their biggest Switch games right now. So we'll either see additional DLC for MarioKart 8 (I don't think so) or a big ACNH update.
The fact there wasn't a major update for ACNH's first-year anniversary, let alone the "updates" since then that basically are just repeats of last year's events, point to the likelihood that Nintendo is more or less done with it at this point. I'd love to be proven wrong, especially where a larger island and more buildings/content are concerned, but I don't think it'll happen. If E3 comes and goes without any major announcements or reveals for ACNH, it'll pretty much confirm that we've hit the end of the road.
I just want them to open up a couple of extra save slots so that I can have a few islands on the go.
I would love to do themed islands like a winter/ice penguin Island.
I just want an update so Redd comes to your island more, and has a higher % chance of new, real things.
I’m still hoping we’ll get an actual progression system instead of stuff handed to us after the updates. There’s not much to work towards..
I think we will get one eventually. Great game.
I wouldn't mind some of the stuff missing from the 3DS game (though I personally prefer NH) via an update
Even more room for you.... To do nothing
Seriously they need to add some updates that will add to the actual gameplay and make the game more fun and last longer
Unbelievable! Even after a year of update Happy Home Designer and Pocket Camp has more content than this.
The size of my island is fine and it's decorated to my liking, there was a data mine suggesting some updates recently, not sure how much weight we should put into them though.
Given how long it takes to load the island right now, making it bigger shouldn't be a priority. I'd really like shorter loading screens first!!
Great game that is dead
I love the game don't get me wrong, but have people got nothing else to play? still clambering and begging for updates that probably won't happen when we have already got hundreds of hours out of the game.
Any other game people wouldn't moan when they've done everything and feel cheated with the 500 hours they have from a £50 purchase, it's time to move on.
I'm pretty content with the game, all things considered. Update would be neat but not necessary, to me. I just wander around and talk to the villagers, same as previous games. I'm not hard to please lol
My feeling is that if Nintendo plans for the Switch to have as long of a life cycle as it suggesting, they'll be further updates to the game to help that cause. Just my hunch
Nintendo seems to have a bad track record of trying to keep their games alive for a long time. The only game that does is Smash, but people usually play the DLC and then leave. Splatoon 2 was successful, but it had a rough journey of NSO coming and then the content updates ending within about less than 2 years after launch. ARMS died and then came back. Super Mario Party has some huge inconsistencies with updates. They didn't even try to promote Luigi's Mansion 3 as much as they could've.
Animal Crossing will 100% still get major updates yet. There are many characters yet to appear, some of which have clear positions to arrive at (the roped off doorway in the museum is clearly for Brewster to arrive in for example). It's just a slow burner that they're planning, Pokemon Go style.
It will take something huge to get me to come back and play this game. I had my fun with it but it’s become incredibly stale. Volcanic activity adding a whole new area and maybe a piping hot Brewster cafe would do the trick.
@Bentendo1609 Not sure which door you are talking about?!
@sanderev I agree that E3 will probably have a big Animal Crossing update announcement but I don't think it'll be a shadow drop, rather a release around September given the last update post covered stuff going on over the summer.
"Countless Updates"...?
Are we playing the same game?
The island and house size is my biggest dislike about the games
@Bentendo1609 I am looking at the main foyer in the Museum right now, and there is no roped off entrance there. Or are you talking about a roped off door in one of the exhibits?
I don't care about the expansion...but wouldn't it be great if we had different housing options....I can't be the only one with a school and a mall
town expansion was my original idea for how an AC switch game could be like. terraforming is great but i do still dream of a way to expand our islands and have more than 10 villagers on it, or bigger beaches so we can have beach focused events
I'd personally love to see more multiplayer minigames and put life back into the villagers like in WW or CF. More "I want to see some hotties show up to the island" or "I hope you go get a cold, rain lover!" instead of the normal "Y'know, I like to sit." and that be the end of the convo. They had so much life back then.
I would just like an extra place to go, like the city in city folk or the island in new leaf, having new things to do
@Natsura @Godzil: @Bentendo1609 meant the last room in the fossil exhibit, there's a roped off door on the second level, next to the spotlighted space where you (as a human) can stand on to complete the evolutionary tree.
I'm not holding my breath though, that door could just be representing a rear exit.
After sitting with it for a year, what I want the most is 360 degree camera turn, with the ability to zoom close to your character to get a more immersive experience when you walk through beautiful spaces that you or your friends have created.
I think the thing that ultimately turned me off the game was the FOMO to play every day was so strong it actually was detrimental to my sanity. Had to cut cold turkey or I'd feel like I had wasted a day if I had missed making my rounds of checking the beaches, talking to villagers, weeding, gathering every last fruit off the trees, etc.
Basically, the game became a laundry list of chores rather than a relaxing way to spend an hour or two every so often. I'd argue the seasonal events were a part of this FOMO. Pokémon GO becomes like that for me for long stretches too, but the ability to send Pokémon to HOME sucked me back into the game this year.
I only wish for Katrina to return. I miss her a lot.
One thing I would want most updated are the Villagers. I have always wanted the Villagers to be a little more unique and reactive in the previous games. This game was actually a step back in that regard.
I'd like to see new leaf brought over to Switch. That would be cool. But then new horizons would just sit there so not sure they would do it.
Anyone wanna play some switch games
I haven't touched this game since the Christmas (toy day or whatever name they came up with) event ran. Last year when this came out, and my family was trapped in our house, this game was a lifesaver! We all three downloaded it, we played it heavy for months, then we got bored after it was just more of the same thing every day. I definitively got my money worth on this purchase but I'm not sure I would buy another AC game in the future.
@Emin Rune Factory 5 may be fun for ya when it releases
@UltimateOtaku91 yeah. I stopped playing after 25 hours.
@Kitteh yeah. The villagers feel a little more like walking signposts who give you fetch quests once in a while rather than characters. This could be fixed with updates for sure though.
These leaks told us we'd be getting farming and Gyroids. I don't believe them for a second anymore.
For now, the game is dead to me. At the very least I need quality of life updates. For example, with 250+ hours in the game, I don't need to know each time I dig up a clam or catch a bass.
I enjoyed the game a lot for the first three months and checked in for the entire first year but whats the point now? Its all the same.
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