Animal Crossing: New Horizons has subtle references to queer relationships and fans are obsessed
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Twitter)
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has finally been released on Nintendo Switch, and eagle-eyed fans have already spotted a small queer reference in the game.
In a clip from the game posted to Twitter, a character called Merry gushes about her love of comics and romantic comedies and references a princess whose “true love” is another princess.
“Romantic comedies! Ohmigosh, I didn’t know anybody else read those comics but me!” Merry says.
“My favourite’s about the shred-tastic Princess of Rocketboarding and her true love, the Princess of Explosions! They search the world for each other, but HILARIOUS stuff always keeps them from happiness!”
She continues: “Like, one time, a wizard swapped their minds! So they were together… but also further apart than ever! Eventually they fooled the wizard a bunch and got their own brains back. It was hilarious AND romantic!”
Animal Crossing: New Horizons basically said ‘gay rights!’
Fans of the game readily pointed out that Animal Crossing: New Horizons essentially said “gay rights!” with the subtle nod to queer identities.
Animal crossing said gay rights🏳️🌈
— Gigilefache (@gigilefache) March 21, 2020
It says a lot about the devoted Animal Crossing fandom that some people said they were reduced to tears by the subtle nod.
https://twitter.com/octoIing/status/1241166193995571200
Others were quick to point out that Animal Crossing is a universally loved game and should represent all of its players.
https://twitter.com/MilkPlastic/status/1241181988243083265
Plenty more Twitter users praised Animal Crossing: New Horizons creators for knowing their audience.
They know their audience.— Gender = Unglued (@IgelFullmetal) March 21, 2020
MERRY SAID LESBIAN RIGHTS— meghan 🌟 (@mahimahimeghan) March 21, 2020
Other people have also found a few other subtle queer references in the game so far.
animal crossing said gay rights babey!!! pic.twitter.com/Go09Ek03jf— binx & jiji’s mom (@sailoranniemoon) March 21, 2020
believe it or not, animal crossing is gay
— medusa's gf (@isapphic) March 21, 2020
The game also offers rainbow themed clothes, umbrellas and other items. Once again, Animal Crossing:New Horizons said gay rights.
My #AnimalCrossing person said gay rights pic.twitter.com/4kOt71mn86— Tom Zohar (@TomZohar) March 22, 2020
New Horizons was released on March 20, and it appears to have come at the perfect time as people across the world self-isolate due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It was revealed shortly before the game’s release that, for the first time, users would be allowed to select gender neutral character customisation.
In previous games your character and entire island environment would be generated by your answers to a series of questions, starting with whether you were “a boy or a girl”. You were unable to switch your character features beyond the gender you chose at the start of the game.
That’s all changed with New Horizons. Players can now customise their character throughout the game, and you’re also no longer limited to male and female-only features and hairstyles.
