Animal Crossing Clone Hits PlayStation Store
Anime Life Sim: A Striking Resemblance to Animal Crossing: New Horizons
A new PlayStation game, Anime Life Sim, has generated considerable buzz due to its uncanny resemblance to Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH). The upcoming title appears to be a near-identical clone, mirroring not only the visual style but also the core gameplay loop.
While numerous games have drawn inspiration from the Animal Crossing franchise, Anime Life Sim stands out for its direct replication of ACNH's mechanics. Developed and published by IndieGames3000, the game's PlayStation Store listing explicitly highlights features strikingly similar to ACNH, including home building and decoration, befriending animal villagers, and engaging in activities like fishing, bug catching, gardening, crafting, and fossil hunting. These are all key elements of ACNH's gameplay.
Legal Considerations: Gameplay vs. Visuals
According to patent analyst Florian Mueller, game mechanics themselves are generally not patentable. This means copying gameplay elements, while ethically questionable, isn't necessarily illegal. However, the legal landscape shifts when considering visual aspects. Copyright law protects artistic styles, character designs, and certain graphical elements in many regions. Thus, any potential legal action by Nintendo against Anime Life Sim would likely center on the visual similarities to ACNH.
Nintendo's history of legal action against perceived infringements is well-documented. Whether they will pursue action against Anime Life Sim remains uncertain. Currently, the game is slated for a February 2026 release on PlayStation 5, with PS4 compatibility yet to be confirmed. The striking similarities, however, have already ignited discussions within the gaming community.