While Nintendo hasn’t officially confirmed that the Switch 2 will launch with a new Animal Crossing title, the enormous success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons makes a sequel all but guaranteed. The next installment in the beloved life-simulation franchise would be a natural fit for the upcoming hardware—and more importantly, it presents the perfect opportunity for Nintendo to finally address one of the series’ most frustrating limitations: the restriction of only one island (or save file) per console.
This limitation has long been a point of contention among fans, especially those living in households with multiple players. Under the current system, only one town or island can exist on a single console, forcing families to either share progress or buy additional consoles just so each person can experience the game independently. This design choice feels especially outdated given how integral personalization and self-expression are to the Animal Crossing experience.
If Nintendo wants to continue building on the community-focused magic of the series while adapting to modern gaming expectations, allowing multiple save files—or separate towns per user profile—should be a top priority. Not only would this change greatly enhance the user experience, but it would also demonstrate a greater awareness of the needs of households with shared devices. With the rising cost of games and hardware, it’s increasingly important that players feel they’re getting value and flexibility for their money.
The launch of the Switch 2 offers a unique opportunity to right this long-standing issue and give every player—whether they’re new to the series or lifelong fans—a world of their own to create and enjoy.
Animal Crossing Has Traditionally Restricted Players to One Town
The Animal Crossing series has traditionally limited players to a single town, encouraging deep investment in one evolving community. This design choice was meant to foster long-term attachment, with players forming bonds with villagers and personalizing their space over time.
In earlier games, it was possible to bypass this limit by using separate game cartridges or memory cards. However, Animal Crossing: New Horizons took things a step further by tying the save file directly to the console. This meant that regardless of how many profiles existed, only one island could be created per Switch.
This restriction has been frustrating for families or players sharing a device, as it prevents each person from having their own unique experience. As Nintendo moves toward the Switch 2, lifting this limitation would modernize the series and make it more inclusive for multi-player households.
Families Face Significant Restrictions With Only One Save File.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the most successful entry in the series, but unfortunately, limitations like the one town per console rule can be a significant drawback. While there could be technical considerations for online play with multiple saves, this restriction feels unnecessary and makes the game challenging for families with multiple users.
In households with several children or even multiple adults interested in playing, having separate island experiences requires buying a second Nintendo Switch, which is an expensive solution just for the sake of having an additional island. While the idea of sharing a town might sound appealing in terms of community and collaboration, it makes it hard for individual players to enjoy their own peaceful, solo experience without compromising with other family members.
The Switch 2 Should Allow One Town Per Profile, At Minimum
The Nintendo Switch 2, which is already available for preorders in North America and launches this June, promises significant improvements in power over its predecessor. This has fueled excitement for a future Animal Crossing sequel that could take advantage of these upgrades, offering more complex islands, expanded multiplayer areas, and richer NPC interactions. However, one crucial change the next game should consider is allowing at least one save file per profile on the console.
While Nintendo may have concerns about players using multiple towns to trade with themselves, the current restriction is too limiting for families who share a single Switch. A simple solution could involve blocking trade between towns created on the same system, addressing potential abuse while still allowing each player their own town. The Switch 2 provides an opportunity to improve the experience for families, a key demographic for Animal Crossing, by enabling multiple saves on one console.