Nintendo started expanding into the mobile market several years ago, with one of its successes being Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Prior to the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp had a huge launch, providing players with a way to take new villagers with them on the go.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp has managed to maintain an active playerbase despite being largely overshadowed following New Horizons’ release in 2020. Eager active fans and those who have dropped the game will likely want to check in, though, as the title has just seen a major update that shakes up some of the game’s core mechanics.
The Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp 5.0 update has officially landed, bringing new items, animal changes, and optional microtransactions. Players can now have up to 16 animals present at their camp, doubling the prior limit of 8. The Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp update also provides more ways to stay in-tune with the game, even when it’s closed, with a new widget that shows the date and displays quotes from animals. The game is also adding a planner that helps players to keep track of everything going on in their campsites, like upcoming holiday events. All of these additions are being included with the update for free.
The optional microtransaction this time around is one costing $.99 USD per month, called the Merry Memories Plan. The perk adds additional themes for the new planner, as well as the ability to mark memories made with special stickers. Subscribers will also receive a monthly 20 Leaf Tickets, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp‘s premium currency. Given that it can be difficult to earn Leaf Tickets through the game, this could provide players with a way to pick up some premium items without having to break the real-world bank. However, considering Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp already has a fair share of microtransactions built-in, some fans may not be pleased about yet another one coming to the title.
While not everyone will want to spend real-world currency on in-game items, the new subscription promises to add more seasonal event rewards to Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. This may be appealing to players who have spent hundreds of hours in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as the game isn’t slated to receive any new major updates. While it’s ultimately up to each player, spending a fraction of what it cost to purchase New Horizons at MSRP to access the Merry Memories subscription may well be worth it for some players.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is available now for mobile devices.
