There is an upcoming game on the PlayStation 5 that is reportedly a copycat of Nintendo's "Animal Crossing: New Horizons," and the screenshots of this new title show an eerie resemblance.
'Animal Crossing' Copycat Game Is Launching Soon on the PS5
GameRant reported that a new listing on the PlayStation Store may soon raise eyebrows in the gaming community as it is titled "Anime Village Online" and seems to resemble Nintendo's "Animal Crossing: New Horizons."
The game's listing has a synopsis from the developer named "Wisnu Sudirman," and it claims that it is set to be a "cozy life simulation game where you can create your dream village."
The game also stresses that it will feature a solo or online play experience, adding a "Built-In Game Chat" that would allow players to converse easily within the game.
It is also important to note that the listing still has no ESRB rating for the game but was marked with a "Rating Pending" or "RP" from the regulatory board.
Apart from these, the PlayStation listing also confirmed that the game would be for 1-4 players, allowing up to 10 users to play the game online, and would require a PS Plus subscription for online play.
GameRant noted that while the game's title may fly under the radar, the included screenshot or poster from the developer looks the same as the female avatar users may choose on Nintendo's "Animal Crossing."
Will Nintendo File a Copyright Lawsuit Against the Copycat?
Based on its description, users would be given the chance to design their homes, craft furniture, grow crops, catch fish, and decorate the surrounding areas, with most of these features present on the iconic Nintendo game.
Moreover, there would also be specific settings like rivers and beaches, which are similar to what "Animal Crossing" features, but the upcoming game takes it up a notch by adding forests and hidden paths. There would be resources to loot or gather all around the "village," with players set to meet NPC villagers and unlock new areas or items as they progress in the game.
Most of these game mechanics and features sound similar to what Nintendo offers for "Animal Crossing" but with several tweaks like focusing on a village instead of an island and having in-game chats and online co-op.
Nintendo previously sought lawsuits against alleged copycats of its games, including PocketPair's "Palworld," which was hit with a copyright case for its similarities to GameFreak's "Pokémon" franchise. Apart from this, Nintendo shut down many Switch emulators and ROM piracy websites for infringing its IP.
As of writing, Nintendo has not given any comment about this game.
