Some dastardly players are intending to cheat in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. While such things may seem indefensible to you if you're a morally upstanding type, New Horizons staffers Aya Kyogoku and Hisashi Nogami know it's going to happen. They sat down for an interview with IGN to talk strategy regarding cloud saves and player cheating.
Essentially, as with Pokémon Sword and Shield, Nintendo excluded cloud saves from Animal Crossing to prevent player cheating. According to Kyogoku and Nogami, if cloud saves are used improperly, it's possible to multiply items and bells. Kyogoku said she and her team "want the users to understand that there is hard work involved" with gathering bells and items, just like in real life. It's also all about making sure the community doesn't feel short-changed by players who simply game the system.
While Kyogoku and Nogami aren't technically stopping players from "time-traveling" - rewinding the system clock on their Switch consoles - they're hoping that it won't come to that. Different hemispheres, a DIY crafting system, and locking holidays to free DLC updates are all features intended to disincentivize players from time travel. Kyogoku says she believes Animal Crossing: New Horizons is best played by "[sharing] that experience with your friends and family".
Thankfully, both Kyogoku and Nogami have reaffirmed their commitment to protecting your save files. The team is currently developing a system to ensure that you won't lose a save if your Switch dies or you lose it. There's also a data transferral system in the works. Nogami says that the team needs to create a proprietary system for Animal Crossing: New Horizons because the data is "special" and "a little bit complex".
If you're hankering for more New Horizons stuff, you can check out the new trailer right here:
Animal Crossing: New Horizons launches for Nintendo Switch on Friday.
How do you feel about the lack of cloud saves in Animal Crossing: New Horizons? Let us know in the comments below!
