SEOUL, Jan. 2, 2024 — Fans flocked to Times Square in Seoul, South Korea, from Dec. 31 through Jan. 1 to celebrate updates to the popular life-simulation game, ‘Let’s Gather Animal Crossing,’ with immersive experiences and photo opportunities.
A Real-Life Island Getaway for ‘Animal Crossing’ Devotees
The New Year’s event brought the charming world of ‘Animal Crossing’ to life for players of all ages.
- Nintendo hosted a New Year’s event centered around ‘Animal Crossing’ at Times Square in Seoul.
- The event featured a ‘Resort Hotel’ experience, photo zones with character dolls, and a ‘resident list’ wall.
- Visitors could access a free trial of ‘Nintendo Switch Online’s’ ‘Nook Portal’ app for exclusive event perks.
- The event drew families and dedicated fans eager to connect with the game and each other.
The event, held on the first floor of the Times Square Atrium, welcomed attendees with the familiar, upbeat opening music of ‘Animal Crossing.’ The immersive experience aimed to translate the game’s relaxing and creative atmosphere into a real-world setting, offering fans a chance to connect with the community and celebrate the latest content update.
Experiential Content Draws Crowds
The “Resort Hotel” experience, which debuted on Dec. 15, proved particularly popular. Visitors decorated rooms designed to resemble accommodations for residents and tourists within the game, receiving a limited-edition ‘Animal Crossing’ sticker upon completion. A “resident list” wall displaying the birthdays of numerous in-game characters also drew attention, allowing fans to discover shared birthdays with their favorite virtual neighbors.
Long lines formed at a photo area featuring doll masks of popular characters Nook and Yeoul, with many fans bringing their own plush toys and figurines. Seohyung Lee, 25, exemplified the enthusiasm, arriving in a ‘Mario’ costume identical to his in-game avatar. “I came to take a picture wearing Mario clothes that are identical to my character in the game,” he said, adding, “It’s fun to meet my favorite characters in person and to be in the same space with fans who have the same tastes.”
Families also participated in the festivities. Lee Min-gyu, 8, enjoyed taking pictures with his favorite character, Yeo-ul, alongside his parents. His mother, Lim Mi-yeon, 45, shared, “My whole family has been enjoying games together since I bought my son a Nintendo Switch 2 as a birthday present last year,” and expressed hope for more offline events in the future, following a similar event held in Yongsan.
Nintendo incentivized participation by offering a limited-edition clear file to visitors who presented their ‘Nook Portal’ passport via the smartphone app and completed a QR code check-in. The ‘Nook Portal’ service, typically exclusive to ‘Nintendo Switch Online’ subscribers, was made available for free for seven days during the event.
