Animal Crossing-Inspired "Anime Village Online" Raises Copycat Concerns on PlayStation Store

Since its launch in March 2020, Nintendo's Animal Crossing: New Horizons has become a cultural gaming phenomenon, selling over 48 million copies worldwide on the Nintendo Switch and setting a new bar for the life simulation genre.

The game, developed by Nintendo, continues to resonate with players years after release, inspiring DLC expansions, crossover appearances in titles like Super Smash Bros.

Ultimate, and becoming a foundational part of the Nintendo eShop’s best-sellers list.

Now, its influence is unmistakably present on other platforms, raising questions about imitation and originality in the global games market. Recently, a new title listed on the PlayStation Store, Anime Village Online, developed by Wisnu Sudirman, has been making headlines for its striking visual and thematic similarities to Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

According to the official store description, Anime Village Online aims to offer players a “cozy life simulation game” experience, featuring core activities such as building and decorating a personal home, meeting unique NPC villagers, and inviting friends online to explore custom-created villages—an evidently familiar gameplay template for fans of Nintendo’s life sim juggernaut. The listing, which currently lacks in-game screenshots but features promotional artwork reminiscent of Animal Crossing’s key art, quickly drew the gaming community’s attention.

Forum users and industry commentators noted that Anime Village Online’s concept and aesthetic closely mirror that of New Horizons, sparking discussion over the boundaries between inspiration and direct imitation.

As relayed in a comment from a popular Reddit posting, “someone is getting sued,” emphasizing the community’s reaction to what appears to be a very closely modeled game experience. This is not the first instance of Animal Crossing-inspired titles appearing on non-Nintendo platforms.

Earlier in 2024, a similarly themed game, Anime Life Sim, was spotted on the PlayStation Store.

It was later revealed to be an asset flip of the CozyLife: Social Sim Game, a template built on Unreal Engine.

That particular project was subsequently taken down, underlining the challenges that marketplaces face in curating original versus derivative content. As for Anime Village Online, it is currently slated for a 2027 release.

However, given the fate of previous projects with similar approaches, its longevity on the PlayStation Store remains in question.

No formal statement from Nintendo or Wisnu Sudirman has been issued regarding the similarities.

The situation highlights both the iconic status of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and the ongoing conversation around intellectual property, creativity, and competition across gaming platforms. Gamers are encouraged to remain vigilant when browsing digital storefronts like the PlayStation Store or Nintendo eShop, especially with titles that echo the look and feel of beloved franchises.

Whether Anime Village Online will reach its planned release is yet to be seen, but the story underscores the long shadow cast by Nintendo’s enduring legacy in the life simulation genre.

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