Animal Crossing on Switch 2: Fixing the Single Save Issue

The massive success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons makes a sequel on the Nintendo Switch 2 almost a certainty. This presents a golden opportunity for Nintendo to address one of the most persistent and annoying limitations in the franchise: the restriction of only allowing a single save file per console.

Allowing multiple save files on the Switch 2 would be a welcome change, especially for families who might not be able to afford multiple consoles just so each family member can have their own Animal Crossing town. As the prices of new games continue to rise, enabling player saves per console on the next Animal Crossing game becomes even more crucial.

The One-Town Limit: A Blessing and a Curse

Historically, Animal Crossing games have focused on the idea of players investing in a single town, fostering relationships with villagers, and carefully decorating their space. This emphasis on a single, evolving town was intended to encourage long-term engagement. The developers reasoned that allowing multiple towns might detract from this core experience.

While there were workarounds in older titles, such as purchasing multiple game cartridges, Animal Crossing: New Horizons tied the island directly to the console itself. This means that regardless of the user profile on the Switch, only one island is permitted per console. This is particularly frustrating for families who a single console.

Sharing an island might sound appealing in theory, promoting collaboration and a sense of community. However, in practice, it can prevent individual family members from fully enjoying a solo, relaxing island experience without having to compromise with others. The current system makes Animal Crossing a challenging game for families where multiple people use the same console.

Switch 2: A Chance for Change

The Nintendo Switch 2, with its enhanced processing power, offers the series a chance to evolve. It is hoped that the next Animal Crossing installment will leverage these technical improvements to deliver more complex islands, expanded multiplayer areas, and richer NPC interactions. However, at the very least, it should allow for one save file per profile on the console.

One potential concern is that allowing multiple saves on a single console could lead to players exploiting the system by creating multiple towns for trading purposes. However, this could easily be addressed by implementing restrictions on trading between towns created on the same console. A simple block or limit would likely solve this issue.

Ultimately, granting multiple saves per console on the Switch 2 would significantly improve the gaming experience for families, a key demographic for Animal Crossing. Nintendo should seize this opportunity to create a more inclusive and enjoyable experience for all players.

By allowing multiple saves, the Switch 2 has the chance to remove one of the most annoying limitations from Animal Crossing and make the game more accessible to all.