The Must-Have Feature Animal Crossing Fans Are Begging For in the Next Game

Highlights

The multiplayer feature in Animal Crossing: New Horizons has unfortunately led to instances of theft, causing frustration and financial loss for the host player.

The existing mechanics in New Horizons pose difficulties for players who aim to deter theft and preserve the aesthetic of their islands. To address this issue in the upcoming Animal Crossing game, integrating a dedicated trading system like a market stall would simplify the trading experience and safeguard against theft, enabling players to concentrate on unleashing their creativity and upholding the integrity of their spaces. Additionally, implementing settings that restrict item pickup solely to trusted friends could prove beneficial.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has created a strong community, but there are some players who engage in dishonest behavior. The multiplayer feature of New Horizons allows players to trade items, which has led to websites like Nookazon and the popularity of Daisy Mae's stalk market. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in instances of theft. Players have tried to address this issue in creative ways, but there is room for the game's successor to make more effective changes to prevent this behavior.

In New Horizons, visitors have the ability to pick up items on the host player's island, which enhances the trading mechanics of the game. However, some visitors have taken advantage of this by stealing valuable items, leading to significant losses of both in-game currency (bells) and the host player's time. Examples include stolen Nook Miles tickets, furniture, and turnips. While players have tried measures like fencing off areas or specifying which items are off-limits, these methods have not always been successful.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Successor Could Restrict Stealing From Players' Environments

Previous updates in New Horizons, such as the introduction of swimming, have inadvertently made it harder for players to control where their visitors can go. This has made it more challenging to fence off certain items and has created opportunities for loopholes. Additionally, visitors are able to freely interact with trees and flowers without needing permission, which can disrupt the overall presentation of an island. While it is advised for players not to leave important items out when opening their islands, this raises the question of whether future installments of Animal Crossing could include settings to simplify the trading process.

Players of New Horizons have observed that keeping items in their houses prevents visitors from taking them, but this still requires effort from the player to protect their belongings. Considering that upcoming versions of Animal Crossing could potentially have larger and more intricate environments than the islands in New Horizons, having a designated trading station could make the process quicker and fairer. One possibility is to use a small market stall where players can display items available for trade or offer to visitors. This allows players to prepare and distribute the corresponding items in advance, making it easier to manage and adjust as needed.

Interacting with the stall could trigger a catalogue showcasing the player's inputted items and their respective prices. Visitors can choose what they want, providing the necessary payment in bells or items. This approach offers a more traditional in-game store experience that promotes trading without the risk of theft. Additionally, implementing a toggle option for environmental interaction, such as restricting fruit and flower-picking to the player's Animal Crossing friend list, can safeguard resources in the game world.

Introducing new quality-of-life features in future Animal Crossing games could streamline visitor mechanics and alleviate concerns of theft or unwanted changes to the player's environment. Creating a designated trading method would eliminate the need for players to block off certain items or areas, allowing them to maintain the integrity of their personalized spaces. By doing so, future entries in the series can preserve the essence of this multiplayer feature while embracing the game's creative potential.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now for the Nintendo Switch.