Nintendo Reveals Why Animal Crossing: New Horizons Was Delayed

When E3 2018 came to a close for Nintendo there were a few video game titles gamers were ready to tackle on this year. One of the more anticipated was Animal Crossing, which did not have a full name at the time. However, during E3 2019 we got the full name reveal along with some gameplay footage. Animal Crossing: New Horizons looks to bring in the same feel and tone that we’ve come to know from the franchise. However, one of the disappointments for some gamers is that this title was ultimately pushed back until 2020. Thanks to IGN, we now know the reasoning behind Nintendo decided to hold off the game’s release date for another year.

Nintendo of America recently got a new president, Doug Bower. Doug Bowser was present during E3 2019 and thanks to IGN, he was asked about the delay behind Animal Crossing: New Horizons. According to IGN, Doug brought up the crunch aspect that is all well too known within the video game development industry. If you’re unaware, this is a term used for game development studios that are nearing the video game’s launch date. As a result, developers tend to demand longer work hours with little to no days off. It’s a brutal time for developers as they strain themselves to get a video game out and ready for launch no matter the costs. That’s a term that more and more developers are trying to get rid of.

For instance, Nintendo is working on that very thing according to Doug Bower. Apparently, Nintendo will push back video game release dates if the title will not be ready in a normal timely matter. This is a delight for developers working on the game as they can continue to deliver a solid video game without having to worry about the grueling long hours at their desk. With that said, it does come at the cost of some gamers having to wait a bit longer to enjoy a game they have been waiting for.

As for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, this Nintendo Switch exclusive will be releasing on March 20, 2020.