ANIMAL CROSSING (PRODUCTION/ DISTRIBUTION) Flashcards
(9 cards)
Key production figures?
Eguchi
Nogami
Key production company??
Nintendo’s EPD/ in-house team.
Vertical integration: Owns multiple levels of video-game creation. Allows profit maximisation and market exclusivity.
Production context (development)
Game-Play/ plot: Animal Crossing based on Eguchi experiences of moving from his hometown of Chiba to Kyoto when he joined Nintendo over a decade earlier.
Development Cycle: 7+ years (began after Animal Crossing: New Leaf in 2012).
Production context: design philopshy?
‘Play at your own pace’ (non-competitive, real-time mechanics)
Emphasis on user creativity (crafting and island customisation)
Summarise the buisness model of ACNH?
Console Exclusivity: Nintendo Switch only (drives hardware sales).
Monetization:
DLC: Happy Home Paradise (2021, $24.99)—monetizes creativity. Amiibo Figures: Physical toys unlock in-game items (recurring revenue).
No Microtransactions: Unlike competitors (Fortnite, Genshin Impact), preserving family-friendly brand.
Nintendo: Industry strategies?
IP control: Bans mods/ fan projects. Limited cross-platform play (contrasts with Minecraft’s openness)
Market position?
Main competitors: Sims series/ Stardew Valley.
Cultural impact: ACNH Island tours have ammassed billions of views on tiktok.
Key Theories & Debates
Hesmondhalgh: Nintendo balances creativity (user freedom) with commodification (DLC, Amiibo).
Curran & Seaton: Nintendo’s corporate control limits true participatory culture (vs. Roblox).
Jenkins: Fans still create “textual poaching” (custom designs, memes) despite restrictions.
Later additions to development/ Gameplay
- Developers noticed that players would repeatedly restart their save file in previous titles, in hopes of getting their desired island shape. Because of this, landscaping was implemented to allow for easy shaping of the island.
- To help avoid time-traveling, they made sure landscaping and crafting did not have any wait-time restrictions
