Animal Crossing’s Merchandising Efforts Tell Me That Suffering Yields Stuffing

Animal Crossing’s Merchandising Efforts Tell Me That Suffering Yields Stuffing

Animal Crossing fever will probably never die, and the well of merchandise has continued to be full since Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ release in March 2020. This huge merchandising campaign is still trucking along to commemorate that game’s release. Animal Crossing, the aesthetic, will remain a spark of joy for many, but that feeling becomes a susceptible, vulnerable target for new ventures despite New Horizons’ latency. (more…)

Not Mad, Just Disappointed: Animal Crossing’s Fantasy Capitalism Fails to Imagine a Better World

Not Mad, Just Disappointed: Animal Crossing’s Fantasy Capitalism Fails to Imagine a Better World

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is my first Animal Crossing, save for a few unpleasant hours with Pocket Camp. But before I got into the series, I encountered one inescapable conversation about the game—Tom Nook is (or isn’t) a raging capitalist, a vile landlord, a benevolent man donating his Bells to charity. (more…)