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Animal Crossing: New Horizons players are saying goodbye to their community swimming pools and cliffside diving spots. That’s because Nintendo is updating New Horizons on Sept. 30 with an autumn- and Halloween-themed patch, bringing a host of new, seasonal activities to the game.
Players have been eager for new content, growing tired of diving for pearls and oysters. So they’ve taken to clearing out space on their islands, creating seasonally appropriate areas to make immediate use of the game’s new features. For many players, that means converting former summer fun spaces to pumpkin patches. Though a bunch of fall-themed decorations — and the pumpkins themselves! — have yet to come to the game, players are making do with what they have: creating pumpkin signage and existing items in creative ways.
For some, this means a massive island overhaul. But for others, it’s finding a quiet, small spot tucked away between some trees.
ok who else is making space for their pumpkin patch ?? #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/s23IFSZjEq
— Moonbanter (@moonbanter) September 25, 2020
Found a spot for my pumpkin patch ♡ #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/KSxyyOmel6
— khilleesi ⭐️ (@khilleesi) September 28, 2020
Took a few more ideas from @maggiecrossings and made a full on pumpkin patch :D happy fall everyone! #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/0bQgtXLkBZ
— Dave Alberto (@DavesAndDonts) September 22, 2020
small tour + future pumpkin patch #acnh pic.twitter.com/4wZ5GqLKhG
— Allison (@allisunrs) September 26, 2020
PUMPKIN PATCH ME PLEASE! I'm Ready! Fall Update ♥ #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/92uPeeyBKo
— New Orleans (@ISplattedYoBae) September 25, 2020
my little pumpkin patch awaits #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/uKGmB6jP9G
— 하나 (@_hoontokki) September 28, 2020
from an ugly area behind Dobie's house to a pumpkin patch ! now i just need to wait till the 30th of September #AnimalCrossing #ACNH pic.twitter.com/LJQu5wSETj
— Anna (@acnchamomile) September 27, 2020
Olaf and Pash are in charge of our agriculture, so I'm glad he likes the new pumpkin patch. <33 #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/G6Ecl1YhwV
— NowhereNihlus (@thesuckerpunch1) September 27, 2020
For everyone prepping their pumpkin patches! Who doesn't love a good you pick pumpkin patch? #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/byao85nALb
— SkyTea @ BLM (On Break) (@SkyTeaa) September 27, 2020
future pumpkin patch? #AnimalCrossing #ACNH pic.twitter.com/dfbJfQURvs
— MegOfTheValley (@MegValley) September 26, 2020
Preparando mi huerto de calabazas #Halloween #AnimalCrossing #ACNH #NintendoSwitch #Life pic.twitter.com/mH3h8Lzzuq
— ᴷᵒᶰ'ᶰᶤᶜʰᶤʷᵃ (@honeypikapika) September 28, 2020
One of my personal favorite innovations is how cleverly players are using random items, like hats on hat stands, to mimic the look of pumpkins. It’s an ingenious way to design a farm — and players have been using tricks like this for a while now, even before pumpkins were announced for New Horizons.
As for the Halloween lovers playing New Horizons, they’ve always been ready. Players have been using similar methods — like the hat on hat stand pumpkins — to create horror settings in New Horizons since the game was first released earlier this year. Horror lovers didn’t need a reason to splatter blood all over their islands — for them, New Horizons was always a horror game. Using items supplied by Nintendo, YouTube creator Evil Imp even created a horror movie trailer that’s seriously unsettling.
With New Horizons’ Sept. 30 update, Nintendo is adding new undead skin tones and Halloween costumes, which should certainly help up the creep factor. My suggestion? Bring back Zipper if you really want to scare people.