Unleash Your Creativity: The Future of Animal Crossing Lies in Giving Players Ultimate Control

Animal Crossing: New Horizons had an overwhelming number of customization options, allowing players to decorate their island spaces with endless creativity. The success of the game suggests that the next installment will push the boundaries even further, granting players even more freedom to express themselves. With a greater emphasis on customizing main structures, players will have the opportunity to showcase their unique themes in a more impactful way.

The incredible ideas that players have showcased while decorating their islands in Animal Crossing: New Horizons have been enhanced by their chosen themes. While it is possible to create beautiful landscapes by combining various ideas, some players have chosen to focus on specific aesthetics when designing spaces for their villagers. Whether it be a fantasy realm, a western desert, or a specific color scheme, having a clear design concept allows for hours of customization and adds a sense of purpose to gameplay.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Successor Could Introduce Customization for Main Buildings

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That being said, New Horizons has a few limitations that may not align perfectly with a desired aesthetic. The museum and Nook's Cranny, for example, cannot be customized by players. While these structures have a neutral design, they might not fully match more stylized themes. However, Happy Home Paradise addressed this restriction and allowed players to remodel villager homes, which was highly praised. The changes introduced in the DLC suggest that the next installment in the series may have more customizable spaces, which could greatly impact how players showcase their areas.

The option to customize the interiors and exteriors of villagers' homes in Happy Home Paradise could potentially be extended to include main structures in the next Animal Crossing game. While it may not be feasible to change every aspect of the museum or Nook's Cranny, a simple facelift with a different exterior color or door could greatly enhance players' thematic consistency. A more nuanced range of customization could revolutionize both types of buildings. For instance, players could have a nature-themed area where villager homes feature ivy crawling up their walls, or a wild-west theme with weathered wood sidings and rustic metal signs for shops.

Integrating this feature would greatly enhance the synergy between players' environments and unify their exterior designs. If this concept were applied to the interior design of main buildings as well, the next game could potentially incorporate preset styles. This would enable different themes for shops and museums based on the player's choice. For instance, players could select from a variety of styles such as modern, regal, old-fashioned, or kitschy, allowing these structures to transform without impacting elements like the layout of Animal Crossing's museum exhibits or Nook's Cranny's inventory.

With New Horizons already impressing players with its customization options, the upcoming installment in the series faces the challenge of surpassing expectations to further nurture players' creativity. Although the type of terrain for the game is still uncertain, following the precedent set by Happy Home Paradise suggests that buildings may become more customizable than ever before. This feature would be particularly exciting for players who prefer to stick to a specific theme and would seamlessly complement any new features introduced in the next Animal Crossing game.

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