I'm still not over New Horizons, and now Nintendo is ending support for another Animal Crossing game in favor of a new "paid" version - with fewer features

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RIP Pocket Camp

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp trailer screenshto showing a chibi-style female character with bobbed brown hair, a yellow flower atop her head, and a chef-like top, smiling with her arms out
(Image credit: Nintendo)

It's official, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will soon be no more - at least not the one fans currently know and love, as Nintendo opts for a new microtransaction-free app instead.

Suppose you're like me and have poured a ridiculous amount of money and time into Pocket Camp, today marks a bittersweet revelation - the app we've been dedicated to since 2017 will soon be no more. According to Nintendo, the cozy mobile game is set to go offline this fall on November 29. "After service ends, you will no longer be able to play Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp," reads the developer's announcement.

There's a light at the end of the tunnel, though - Nintendo also says it's "currently developing a paid version of the app to which you will be able to transfer your save data." This new app, "paid" without any pesky microtransactions, "will be released during the same period as the end of service for Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp." It won't be everything that Pocket Camp was, though - "some features" are missing.

"Since this app will not require a continuous online connection," Nintendo explains, "some features that require that connection, e.g. Market Boxes, gifts, and visiting other players' campsites will not be available." Leaf Tickets won't be transferred either, so players should make sure to redeem theirs before Pocket Camp shuts down. As for the game's subscription service, refunds will not be issued.

This isn't Nintendo's first rodeo when it comes to shutting mobile apps down - Miitomo, Dr. Mario World, Dragalia Lost, and Mario Kart Tour all come to mind. While I'm happy to see the studio shift away from microtransactions, especially as free-to-play gacha games are on the rise with upcoming Animal Crossing-esque titles like Floatopia, I'm sad to learn about Pocket Camp - although my wallet probably isn't.

Want something new to play? Here are great games like Animal Crossing to check out.

Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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