Animal Crossing: New Horizons is on track to be the biggest Switch game ever
Despite only launching last week, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has already sold millions copies – having set sales records in a handful of territories.
It seems that Animal Crossing: New Horizons arrived at the perfect time, with players flocking to the Switch exclusive in their millions to find peace on a tranquil deserted island.
In the United Kingdom, New Horizons cemented itself as the biggest Switch launch outside of Pokemon Sword and Shield, outselling every previous game in the series by a significant margin.
The adorable life simulator told a similar story in its homeland of Japan, having already sold 1.8 million copies (via Famitsu) in the first three days alone, and that’s just physical units. Factor in digital downloads and that number could be more than double.
Related: Animal Crossing – New Horizons Tips and Tricks
Console sales increased by almost 400,000 units across the same period, showcasing that a number of players were picking up a Nintendo Switch for the first time or thirsting over Animal Crossing’s limited-edition bundle.
New Horizons outpaces the three-day record set by Super Smash Bros Ultimate (1.24 million) and Pokemon Sword and Shield (1.36 million), selling an obscene amount of copies after just three days on the market. People really love it, and we can’t blame them.
Earning 5/5 in my review, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the best game I’ve played this year. It’s relaxing, adorable and wonderfully satisfying for so many reasons.
“Fans will be playing it for years, watching as the seasons roll by and unveil the true potential of what has been created here,” reads our review verdict.
It will be a while until we have a solid picture of lifetime sales, but we wouldn’t be surprised at all if Animal Crossing found itself at the top of Switch’s most popular titles in the coming weeks and months, especially given the arrival of future updates and seasons.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
