Over the years, Animal Crossing has introduced a vast array of villagers, charming players with adorable characters that they love to collect. While these delightful residents are a big draw for fans of the series, an overflow of them could also present challenges for Animal Crossing.
When Animal Crossing made its debut in Japan back in 2001, the game boasted 215 villagers. This number has climbed with every new release, except for in Animal Crossing: Wild World and Animal Crossing: City Folk. Since the franchise’s start, the number of these characters has nearly doubled, enriching the series with both familiar faces and intriguing newcomers.
Adding new villagers keeps the franchise fresh, inviting players to adopt a “Catch ’em all!” mindset, reminiscent of the way Pokémon fans play. As the villager count continues to rise, it’s almost certain that future installments will introduce even more characters for players to love or loathe.
The introduction of novel villager species could be on the horizon for Animal Crossing. Currently, there are thirty-five different villager species, with familiar critters like rabbits, mice, dogs, and cats leading the pack. Most of these fall into the categories of mammals or birds, leaving room for more diversity. Aside from octopi and frogs, we might expect to see new species such as reptiles or fish joining the lineup.
Interestingly, while we have Flick, the chameleon who loves bugs, it’s worth noting he’s not a typical villager fans can collect, serving instead as a unique non-player character.
Similarly, the game offers only eight personality types, a number dwarfed by the variety of species. Exploring new personality traits like “crybaby” or “shy” would add another layer of character depth, allowing players to experience a greater range of villager quirks. As new villagers come into play, expanding the personality types could provide a fresh angle for future games.
Introducing fresh species and personality traits could also help set a new Animal Crossing title apart from its predecessors and give players a new way to distinguish their in-game experiences. Animal Crossing’s gameplay, being quite straightforward, relies on these unique hooks to capture the attention of players. As demonstrated by Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, where players decorate a campsite instead of the more traditional island or town, varying game features can create new excitement.
However, expanding the roster of villagers isn’t without downsides. While catching them all is a pursuit for some, others remain focused on their favorite characters. Increasing the total number of villagers might dilute the chances for players to encounter their beloved characters. The popularity of villager trading and hunts has grown due to Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Should new villagers capture the hearts of players like Raymond did, these trends could see a resurgence.
Moreover, simply adding more villagers doesn’t guarantee they’ll be compelling. Without introducing new species or personality types, repetition remains a concern. Players might find themselves faced with multiple villagers like the Jock-type cats Stinky, Rudy, and Kid Cat, leading to a lack of diversity among the characters.
Ultimately, the actual advantages and disadvantages of adding more villagers to Animal Crossing will reveal themselves once a game is released, offering fans a clearer picture. Until then, players can keep crafting their ideal communities and curating their collections of villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
