Animal Crossing 'Knock-Off'? PlayStation 5 to Launch 'Anime Village Online'

PlayStation has teased the launch of 'Anime Village Online' in its store, which seems to be a knock-off of Nintendo's 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons'.

We all remember how Animal Crossing: New Horizons helped many to survive the COVID-19 pandemic—a time when everyone couldn't go out to meet, and not only that, this game was launched at a perfect time for friends to meet and spend time together virtually.

The fifth major installment of Animal Crossing lets players build their own island and take on various activities—from exploration, fishing, and farming to collecting, crafting, and meeting adorable animal villagers—allowing them to decorate their island with charming items.

Well, it seems like a game developer named Wisnu Sudirman would like to have the same one and began to work on an awfully similar-looking game.

Gamers have recently discovered the listing for Anime Village Online, which is set to be available in 2027.

From art style to game description, the game could easily be mistaken for a Nintendo crossover to PlayStation because of its undeniable similarity to Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

As the listing describes, Anime Village Online is 'a cozy life simulation game where you can create your dream village, decorate your home, and enjoy a peaceful world — all while playing solo or with friends online.'

It lets you 'design and expand your own charming house, craft furniture, grow crops, catch fish, and decorate your surroundings to match your personal style', and 'wander through beautiful forests, rivers, beaches, and hidden paths. Discover resources, meet NPC villagers, and unlock new items and areas as you play.'

From that description alone, an Animal Crossing fan would think instantly of their favorite Nintendo game.

Reddit user IllustriousWallaby35 has instantly responded to this Animal Crossing clone and posted 'Nintendo is gonna sue somebody.'

The post was completely flooded with comments, with one saying, 'They are not even trying anymore.'

One even said that the 'inspiration' went too far, 'Okay, in THAT case I think MAYBE they went too far with the "inspiration".'

And someone urged for a more intensive review process, saying, 'I think a more rigorous screening process should be employed before games are allowed onto platforms like this. Copycat games, fake titles, and AI-generated stuff are becoming far too prevalent.'

Not Just 'Animal Crossing', 'The Last of Us' Too

As it turns out, game developer, Wisnu Sudirman, did not only get inspiration from Nintendo's popular game to create their own, they were also inspired by 'The Last of Us' created by Naughty Dog. It's a story-driven action-adventure game about surviving in a post-apocalyptic world filled with infected creatures and dangerous humans.

As discovered on a LinkedIn page with the same name, Sudirman is also apparently making a game bearing a similarity to The Last of Us, and it is called 'Rooted: Survival'.

In the listing, it is described as 'a brutal, atmospheric survival experience set in a world consumed by the aftermath of bacteriological warfare. A century after civilization collapsed, nature has reclaimed the earth—but it didn't come alone.'

Which comes with a disclaimer stating 'All referenced game titles, brands, characters, and visual elements are the property of their respective owners. Any similarities are intended purely as homage or satire for entertainment purposes. No copyright infringement is intended.'

For now, we shall wait and see if these games will actually still be launched after call-outs from the gaming community.