Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete Gets December 2 Release Date

[MacRumors]

Nintendo on December 2 will release Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete, a paid offline version of the iOS game that existing users will be able to play after the original is shut down.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is a freemium app that Nintendo has regularly been adding new content to over the last seven years, so there are players with money invested in the game. There are no more events or updates, with the Pocket Camp service set to be discontinued on November 29, but the paid offline version will allow saves to be transferred over.

The new paid version includes all the content added since the free online version of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp was released in 2017. The gameplay is virtually identical to the previous version, but without in-app purchases or the ability to interact with other human players. Existing users can transfer their saved data from the previous version to the offline variant until June 2, 2025. Transferring a Pocket Camp save to the new app requires linking to a Nintendo Account.

The offline version will include new content, including the ability to create a Camper Card for players to introduce themselves to other players. The cards can be scanned for collecting and exchanging. There is also a new location to visit, called Whistle Pass, where players whose cards have been scanned come to visit. Nintendo says this is an alternative to the existing online mode, where players visit each other's camping spot.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete can now be pre-ordered in the App Store and is a one-time $9.99 purchase until January 31, 2025, when the price will go up to $19.99. The game will be playable from December 2, 2024, while the online servers of the existing free game will close on November 29.

Update: December 3 was the launch date originally given in Nintendo's marketing materials, but a press release published this morning on behalf of the company states that the game will be released on December 2. This article has subsequently been updated.

Article Link: Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete Gets December 2 Release Date

 

[TinyMito]

Can someone fill me in what happened to the online version? Is it not feasible to play due to poor connection on the go?

Or my guess it is getting too expensive to operate online.

 

[contacos]

This is actually really honorable of them to even bother. Others should take note

 

[cateye]

Can someone fill me in what happened to the online version? Is it not feasible to play due to poor connection on the go?

Live services games cost money and (more importantly) staff to maintain. That's not viable if the game doesn't have a critical mass of support generating revenue, as most iOS games don't after an initial push. Offline games released as a single, comprehensive package that then receives little to no additional updates, like this one is likely to be, require essentially zero additional investment. Probably just critical bug fixes and nothing more.

 

[Ctrlos]

A full-fat offline mobile Animal Crossing for a premium price-point is exactly what I wanted the original Pocket Camp came out 7 years ago. I would have paid $40 for it then so $10 is a steal.

 

[vertsix]

Common Nintendo W.

 

[icanhazmac]

Solid move, good job Nintendo!

 

[decafjava]

Is the song "Camel by Camel" included? IYKYK.


Seriously good move by Nintendo - I hope other companies pay attention.

 

[Pezimak]

Wish they’d do this with Mario Kart. Good move by Nintendo though.

 

[JosephAW]

Remember playing that for a few months but it got a little monotonous.
Monopoly go has the same problem, after I crossed 50 billion points it was pretty much the same over and over.

 

[roland.g]

Is this good news, bad news, or no news at all?

 

[Shanesan]

I mean, other than the whole point of Animal Crossing since the N64(JP)/GameCube was to interact with other people within your world as well as your animal neighbors, losing that functionality and not instituting some non-internet solution is a pretty big blow, but hey, it's better than nothing.

 

[Ctrlos]

Is this good news, bad news, or no news at all?

Incredibly good news. Every other online only game disappears into the ether never to be seen again. This way players can keep their progress but play offline with no more IAP infesting the app.

 

[Sowelu]

I mean, other than the whole point of Animal Crossing since the N64(JP)/GameCube was to interact with other people within your world as well as your animal neighbors, losing that functionality and not instituting some non-internet solution is a pretty big blow, but hey, it's better than nothing.

They're introducing a new way of interacting with others in a new in-game location called 'Whistle Pass' which will be populated by scanning QR codes from other player's 'Camper Cards' which are created in-game. Kind of like virtual Amiibo cards for in-game friends.

Existing friends on your friends list in the current version of Pocket Camp should automatically show up as Camp Cards in your save data when you purchase (and sign into) 'Pocket Camp Complete'. From there, you can scan new friends in with their Camp Card's QR codes obtained via social media, forums, personal friends and family texts and so on.

 

[JosephAW]

Now we need Apple to give us the ability to download iOS apps again. At least I can do that on my desktop with desktop apps.

 

[Sowelu]

Now we need Apple to give us the ability to download iOS apps again. At least I can do that on my desktop with desktop apps.

I love using some iOS apps on my Mac, but I always thought it was up to the developer to allow them to be downloaded on a Mac or not. Perhaps the iPhone mirroring feature will fill this gap if Nintendo restricts usage of this app on Macs.

 

[TheToolGuide]

Hmm, seems like EA should take a page from Nintendo’s book and bring this to Simpsons Tapped Out players.

 

[tranceking26]

After the let down from EA and Tapped Out I'll gladly take Nintendo's different approach.

 

[Gummiwise]

i have Animal Crossing on my Switch, and I don’t play it as often because I tend to be on my phone more. Having a one time purchase version for only $9.99 is definitely a decent value proposition for the amount of gameplay involved. Pre-ordered. Thanks for the heads up MacRumors.

 

[svish]

Good to know about this. The initial reduced price is good.

 

[charlesdayton]

This is quite Wellcome. Games with in app purchases suck.

I just wish they could allow online play with other players for people subscribed to Nintendo Online.

Also I wish Dr. Mario Mobile gets a paid for version. I miss that game.