Animal Crossing combats event spoilers by requiring an online connection
‘Time travelers’ will not be able to experience seasonal events
Animal Crossing: New Horizons requires an online connection in order to experience special seasonal events, the game’s first patch notes have revealed.
In a move likely design to combat spoilers, Nintendo’s Japanese update notes state that “time travellers” (players who change their system clock to move game time forwards) will not be allowed to experience events until real-life time matches their activity dates.
New Horizons’ first event, Easter, will run from April 1 until April 12 and requires an online connection to check the real date when the event first starts.
- Related: Animal Crossing guide – 21 tips for a happy island life
Players must also have a connected Nintendo account when this check is performed.
Nintendo has been fairly aggressive in its attempts to thwart New Horizons cheating, even disabling the cloud save feature available to most titles via Nintendo Switch Online.
The platform holder said it would offer Switch Online subscribers server backups in “special circumstances”, such as damage or loss, later this year.
New Horizons’ first game update was deployed on Thursday, a day before the Switch game’s official release. Update V1.1 activates the ability to visit other player’s islands, plus Nintendo Switch Online app connectivity.
The update will also see players receive a special in-game furniture gift from Nintendo: a Nintendo Switch. Players using special Animal Crossing joy-con controllers will recieve a limited edition version of the game item.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be released exclusively for Nintendo’s console on Friday, March 20. It can be pre-ordered from retailers including Best Buy, Amazon and Game.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons reviews were published on Monday ahead of the game’s release this week.
VGC’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons review says the “comforting life sim is a tranquil haven at a time the world needs it most”.
