The Animal Crossing series has always been about building a cozy life in a town filled with animal villagers, and as such, has lent itself to a style of gameplay that is very open-ended without a real plot to speak of. This design philosophy allowed Animal Crossing: New Horizons to offer players an unprecedented amount of creative freedom when it came to designing their perfect island life. However, a future Animal Crossing game could refine its scope and trade the open-ended gameplay of the series for one that focuses on a true narrative while maintaining the cozy life sim elements fans have come to love.