Lions make an Animal Crossing: New Horizons video to announce 2020 NFL schedule
Tom Nook is a big Lions fan, apparently
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is now the home of the Detroit Lions 2020 game schedule.
The official Detroit Lions Twitter account put together an elaborate reveal video using nothing but Animal Crossing: New Horizons game footage and some subtle edits. It starts with a daily announcement from Tom Nook (apparently the Lions haven't unlocked Isabelle yet) that rolls straight into the schedule debut.
Want some #Lions gear for you and your villagers? Input the corresponding Design ID at the Custom Designs Portal in the Able Sisters shop to claim these designs for yourself. (Must have Nintendo Switch Online to claim.) pic.twitter.com/izQY35ZfVwMay 8, 2020
Each week gets its own standalone scene, with teases for the other team (like burying a giant teddy bear for the Chicago Bears) before confirming the time and date. It even does its own terrible seahorse pun for a game against the Colts. As a Metro Detroit native, I have never felt prouder of this team. Granted, they are the Lions, so that isn't saying much.
If you liked that video enough to sign your Animal Crossing avatar up with the Lions, or if you were already a Lions fan (I'm sorry), you can check out the Design IDs in that second tweet to download the hat and jerseys the team used to make the trailer.
With the international response to COVID-19 still taking shape around the world, it isn't a sure thing that we'll even get a standard 2020 NFL season. Worst comes to worst, you could always use the schedule from this Animal Crossing video to simulate the season in Madden 21, which EA has confirmed is still planned to come out this year.
No wonder the Lions are playing too - Animal Crossing: New Horizons officially has the best early sales of any Switch game.
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I got a BA in journalism from Central Michigan University - though the best education I received there was from CM Life, its student-run newspaper. Long before that, I started pursuing my degree in video games by bugging my older brother to let me play Zelda on the Super Nintendo. I've previously been a news intern for GameSpot, a news writer for CVG, and now I'm a staff writer here at GamesRadar.