It's been almost 5 months since we received confirmation regarding the new game, but there's still no new news! I understand how big of a game AC: Switch is going to be, but it seems a little weird that they haven't announced any new information, released images, etc.

I was wondering what everyone else was thinking; when do you guys think they'll release some information regarding the game and why do you think it's taking so long for them to do so?
My buddy (that's never played AC) said it's probably because they want to announce it during E3 and release it sometime in the winter. This way they could push out the Yoshi game and the Pokemon game first. I don't think his speculations are impossible but I hope he's wrong.
I've also heard rumors that it was supposed to be released during the 1st or 2nd quarter of this year (latest being July), but no one has confirmed that. Lastly, I know you can pre-order the game at GameStop right now with the release date being sometime in April, but that's not accurate at all. I just wanted to share all the details I collected, haha.
Sorry for making this so long... I'm just really impatient and passionate.

probably because there hasn't been a direct in almost five months. usually directs are more frequent than this. there's some speculation that they decided to delay this year's first direct because of the news that development on metroid 4 is starting over from scratch, so instead of putting a damper on an otherwise awesome direct, they're pushing it out a few weeks later.

I doubt AC is going to be a winter release because pokemon always comes out near the holidays. pokemon and animal crossing have a big overlap in fans, so I doubt they'd want to directly compete with themselves by releasing them near the same time. my guess is that as soon as another direct happens, we'll get news, and that a release later than late summer is unlikely.

I thought April as well in a post i made in 2018 Animal Crossing Switch: My Theory but as you said, we haven't seen as much as gameplay or even pictures. As for gamestop.... I was able to pre order animal crossing new leaf almost a year before it came out. they just kept pushing it back until an official release date was announced. I don't like gamestop lol

Imagine if they pulled another Metroid and said they were scrapping all their work on AC Switch and starting over! I doubt that'd happen but still.

I still feel like the latest will be August, but I wouldn't really care. Even if it comes out on 12/31 as long as it comes out I'm fine.

Yeah I think you're right, Chiyoko, it's really weird that they've gone 5 months without a Direct, but I suppose they have a good reason.

Have you guys heard any speculation about a Direct on the 15th? I've talked to some guys that track the patterns of Direct releases and they said that the 15th is the perfect day. They said Nintendo wouldn't wait till March for a Direct because of how necessary it is to bring more attention back on Yoshi's Crafted World.

I think there's another reason for the late release, though. Nintendo has been telling fans that they have a new game to announce, but have not told anyone what it is. I think they're trying to put together game play for the mystery game before releasing a Direct (if they don't include it in the Direct then it won't receive the publicity it needs).
So I THINK that the reason why there hasn't been a new Direct about Animal Crossing is because they're using the hype to their advantage. Like they know everyone is going to tune in for AC information, so they have to toss as many other games as they can. I guess they're just using us
Sorry for the long rant! I just wanted so share my crazy ideas/theories.

I want to clarify the April release date rumor, that is a placeholder date that was set from a gaming chain over in Europe. In the US, typically our placeholder dates are 12/31, for example, but that doesn't mean the game will come out then. However, the fact that you are able to preorder the game in stores is a great sign!

Also on a mini-tangent, is anyone else really nervous for the soundtrack for the new game? All the previous AC soundtracks have stuck with me and are on my top list for video game OS. I hope the new one can live up to its predecessors...

"However, the fact that you are able to preorder the game in stores is a great sign!"

Back in like 2000 when Mother 3 was gonna be an N64 game, people (at least in Japan) were able to pre-order it... then it got cancelled. Some people saved those pre-order slips and have pics of em online.

Yeah I agree with Ard I was able to pre order the Elder Scrolls Online for xbox 2 years before it was actually released on the system. They had it available for PC but Xbox kept being pushed for a later date.

Idk how it was then (only started pre ordering back in 2012 and also not saying you guys are old just saying I am not as experienced ) but you pay a down payment or pay off the whole thing when your pre order so wouldn’t that mean if they are taking those there has to be a product coming?

it was in 2014 when this ESO situation happened lol. Although they still take pre orders, they do tend to push back TBD pre orders.

"...is anyone else really nervous for the soundtrack for the new game?"

Oh my gosh, YES! I love how peaceful the music was for New Leaf. Even though I played for over 1000 hours, I never got bored of any of the music. I know it's going to be insanely difficult to top the music from the previous game, but I have no doubt that the developers and music team will come up with tons of new, great tunes.

Okay, new question! If Nintendo was to release a 1 minute video about the new game, and they could only cover one aspect (the museum, fishing, bugs, shops, etc.), what would you want to see? Like for me, I'd want just one minute of either the new map and the terrain OR new animals and updated old models! I'm just so eager to hear about whether or not AC:Switch is actually going to take place on a huge island (that'd be insane, but people are speculating it because of the taped up boxes beside Nook after Isabelle's Smash trailer. I think there's more speculation videos about the island theory on Youtube if you're interested).

"you pay a down payment or pay off the whole thing when your pre order so wouldn’t that mean if they are taking those there has to be a product coming?"

Not necessarily. Especially since anyone could likely just cancel their pre-order to get a refund.

"Okay, new question! If Nintendo was to release a 1 minute video about the new game, and they could only cover one aspect (the museum, fishing, bugs, shops, etc.), what would you want to see?"

I guess any changes to the basic premise of the game- such as if being mayor is still part of it.

I'm thinking it will come out some time during the summer or early fall. A decent portion of AC players are in school and have the summer off or at least less to do in the summer. It's also a game that lasts a few years so there would be a second wave of sales around Christmas. If they release it too late, people won't have the opportunity to hear how it is before asking for/buying it as a Christmas gift.

I see it this way, it'll come out when it'll come out.  I was bummed to find out there was no info in the direct, but there was a couple other announcements that made me excited, specifically Link's Awakening and Daemon X Machina.

I've said elsewhere and here, it'll get a dedicated Direct in the next few weeks with the release late April or May. As for why there's no information being revealed, all it needs is one bulk update of info to get people talking. If the release date is soon after that information is revealed, it keeps the game well in people's minds.

And if a one minute video showing just one part of the game was released, as per Lpapik's question, I'd want a view of the town itself as it lives, with villagers wondering around and bugs visible, with the season changing after every fifteen seconds to show how the differences in each one.

"I've said elsewhere and here, it'll get a dedicated Direct in the next few weeks with the release late April or May. As for why there's no information being revealed, all it needs is one bulk update of info to get people talking. If the release date is soon after that information is revealed, it keeps the game well in people's minds."

I hope you're right. I have a feeling we're going to be waiting for E3 to hear any news on it.

I have the same feeling as DarkRula I could've sworn that they had something like a happy treehouse (I don't remember the exact name for it) to announce animal crossing main game titles.

To be entirely honest I don't really know why people... care about a trailer, I guess.

I'm very excited for Animal Crossing on the Switch but I already know what the core of the gameplay will be. I don't really care for trailers or release dates as much as I care about just playing the game, but it'll come out when it comes out.

People wanna see the trailer because it's... something. We're hoping for anything AC related at this point!

But also I have a feeling they'll likely try to change up the formula a bit like they did in New Leaf, and I'm eager to see what changes will be made.

If I had to see a one minute gameplay trailer, I think I'd want something really showing off the graphics! Like maybe a character walking around town, planting flowers, shaking trees, and swimming.

I don't know about you guys but I really hope AC switch releases worldwide around the same time. Seeing Japanese players' New Leaf towns for 6 months before I got to play was really painful Hopefully, one of the reasons that it's taken so long to produce is because the localization for all regions is pretty much done.

black_peaches I agree. not only was it painful but most of us missed out on the DLC like the 711 items

So I noticed that a lot of Animal Crossing analysts (on Youtube) are saying that the game will be a major part of Nintendo's E3 presentation this year, hence why we didn't get any information in the February Direct. Because it's such a big franchise with millions of fans waiting for new news, Nintendo's probably just going to release a giant trailer, followed by some gameplay, at E3, which sucks because I was sure the game was going to release before June! Personally, I don't like playing AC games in the winter as much because it's kind of boring; and in the fall everything is orange and not as vibrant (which is why I thought it would be released before August). But, now people are looking at release date schedules and speculating a September or December release.

If that's true, we'll have to wait several months to see the game then a couple more months to play it I'm really hoping that their theories are wrong and we get news VERY soon. If there isn't a trailer + gameplay released this month, then there's no way they'd release AC:S with such little "hype"/buildup in April or May. Anywaaaays, I write too much:/ Here is a list of games coming out in the following months (to support the theories):

March: Yoshi's Crafted World
April: NOT HAPPENING
May: NOT HAPPENING
June: Super Mario Maker 2
July: Fire Emblem: Three Houses
August: ??? (Animal Crossing?)
September: ??? (Animal Crossing?)
October: Luigi's Mansion 3 (MAYBE)
November: Pokemon Sword and Shield (MAYBE)
December: ??? (Animal Crossing?)

Don't hold me to it, but based on previous entries, I think Animal Crossing will be November.
Pokemon will be a big seller itself, so I think that will either be October (Due to white and black release) ORRR early December, because Christmas!

I'd love for it to come out in November. I love autumn in AC