Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Nintendo's Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp coming to Play Store this week (Update: Download it early!)
Unfortunately, the sudden influx of new players also appears to have set the game's servers on fire.
Users on social media are reporting an intermittent communication error (code: 802-7609). I managed to get a good 20 minutes in just a moment ago, but the dreaded error code kicked me back to the title screen shortly after. Hopefully the issues will be cleared up quickly so we can all get back to our mobile camping holidays.
Original story (11/20): Nintendo has confirmed that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will release worldwide on the Google Play Store (and Apple’s App Store) on November 22nd. The free-to-play title will launch in over 40 countries, including the US, UK, Japan, and across Europe.
The legendary gaming company fully revealed the long-awaited mobile game in October with a vague “late November” launch window. Now that wait is almost over, and it won’t be long until we can all join Animal Crossing’s quirky cast of anthropomorphic creatures on a camping-themed getaway.
Animal Crossing will become the third Nintendo franchise to make the jump to mobile after Super Mario Run and Fire Emblem Heroes (fourth if you count Pokémon Go, but the Kyoto-based giant had next to nothing to do with Niantic’s smash hit). It’s also arguably the most exciting of the bunch, as the twee sim series seems a perfect fit for mobile play.
For those that aren’t up to speed, Animal Crossing traditionally puts the player in the shoes of a villager who has to earn their keep in a new town, all while making friends with an endearing bunch of cutesy characters.
Pocket Camp mixes up the formula by putting you in charge of a campsite. It’s your job to kit out the site with amenities, decorations, and more to ensure all of the locals enjoy a cozy stay.
As usual for an Animal Crossing game, you’ll be able to collect a seemingly endless amount of trinkets through activities like fishing, bug hunting, and food gathering. Most tasks will reward the player with in-game currency for upgrading and decorating your home – a customizable camper van.
There are in-app purchases if you want to speed the process along using real money, but Nintendo has stressed that these are entirely optional.