STOP COMPARING YOUR ISLAND TO OTHER PLAYERS ISLANDS! This has been a public service announcement.
If you’re a fan of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you’ve probably been following all the posts across social media about these fabulous islands people are creating. Similarly, you probably also have major FOMO, as all of your friends are building their islands as well. That is understandable, but it needs to stop.
Animal Crossing is the kind of game that you play at your leisure. It is meant for players to get bored at some points and to put it away. Players progress at their own pace, rather than racing to the finish line (Is there a finish line?). Because of the slow nature of the game itself, Animal Crossing was never meant to be a competitive space for players, rather it’s a solitary game where you can progress as little or as much as you so choose.
However, with the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, it has become increasingly evident that players around the world are visiting other islands and trying to emulate what other players are doing. The competitive nature that is growing around the game is almost exclusive to the most recent version. It’s no secret that New Horizons was highly anticipated, and has done extremely well in sales.
Similar to how social media works, everyone is posting the best versions of their lives. This highlight reel is the same with Animal Crossing, as everyone is showcasing their final products. Some people jump into the game and play for days straight, while others play for just a few hours at a time. If you fall into the latter, you probably have not made as much progress as your friends that have played longer, and that’s okay. It’s okay to be exactly where you are, with exactly the island that you have.
Because of the comparison game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has developed an almost toxic community. Suddenly, people from around the world are now comparing their progress to everyone else’s, and it can be really unhealthy. In previous versions of Animal Crossing, there was not a huge uptick in social media posts, and players were not all stuck at home for quarantine. Thus, more players are advancing in the game now with extreme speed, leaving others in their dust.
If you are sitting at home looking at your island and thinking it is inferior to others, stop it right now! Your island is incredible because you are creating it all by yourself. Be excited that you have made it this far, and stop comparing your progress to others. Just like in real life, we are all on our own journies. It is okay to aspire to create more, but stop beating yourself up for what you “don’t have” and celebrate what it is that you do. Animal Crossing is supposed to be fun, don’t forget that!
