If you played Animal Crossing: New Leaf on 3DS and are now taking your first steps on your new desert island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you may well be looking forward to diving into the.

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Nintendo revealed a raft of Animal Crossing: New Horizons details this morning. As part of the publisher’s Direct video event, it showed off what looks like an impressive expansion of the social-life simulator. But for as much New Horizons has going for it, I’m finding myself feeling anxious as its March 20 release date approaches.

I’ve been looking forward to a new Animal Crossing for years. New Leaf on the 3DS is still excellent. I want that experience in HD with even more to do. And it looks like Nintendo is going to give me that experience in HD with even more to do. That’s very exciting.

What’s less exciting is how Animal Crossing is handling save data and game sharing. During the Direct, Nintendo clarified how all of those basics work.

New Horizons creates one island per Switch. Everyone who plays on that system will get their own home, but they will all exist on the same mass of land. If you take that same copy of Animal Crossing and boot it up on a different Switch, it will create a separate island.

Saves are equally confusing and limiting. Here’s what Nintendo says in the fine print on its website:

“This game does not support the Save Data Cloud functionality of Nintendo Switch Online. However, a limited ability to recover Animal Crossing: New Horizons save data from the server in the event of system failure, loss, or theft will be available to Nintendo Switch Online members sometime in the future. Check back for more details as they are available.”

“Animal Crossing: New Horizons does not support the ability to transfer your save file from one Nintendo Switch system to another.”

I get that Nintendo is quirky, but why does it have to give me a headache?

It’s worth noting that the U.K. Animal Crossing page says a transfer feature is coming later this year.

Why is Animal Crossing: New Horizons like this?

Nintendo supports cloud saves, backups, and transfers for other games. Why is Animal Crossing different? The company isn’t pulling these restrictions out of nowhere. It is trying to prevent players from exploiting its systems.

Now, I’m not the most creative Animal Crossing player, so I probably can’t think of every possible way to use cloud saves and transfers to get around the game’s systems. But some of them are obvious.

Nintendo’s cloud saves work in such a way that you can easily choose to download or overwrite your current state. In Animal Crossing, this could enable you to take advantage of random elements where you try to get the best random item while offline. If you get something you don’t want, however, you can simply start the game over and download your cloud save.

I get (and kinda respect) Nintendo wanting to enshrine the pure Animal Crossing experience with protective measures. The temptation to cheat is real, and the legitimate way is better for most people.

But honestly,

Maybe the honor system is better

Even if Nintendo’s intended experience is best, it doesn’t seem worth these overzealous measures. I’m not going to cheat in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and it stinks that I don’t get cloud saves because someone else might.

It’s downright unacceptable that I cannot transfer my save at all to a new Switch. I’m positive that I’m going to upgrade again at some point. Nintendo did release six different 3DS models, after all.

But why do I have to live in fear of losing my devices? Nintendo says it will reveal a way to recover saves if you lose or damage your Switch … but it will only do that for you in certain circumstances. And even then, it will only ever recover your save once.

If you especially unlucky, not only will you lose two Switch systems, but you’ll lose all of your progress in Animal Crossing.

And it’s not even just about the save system. Locking each Switch to one Animal Crossing island is also bizarre. I already have a Switch and a Switch Lite. I’m going to choose which one I’m going to play Animal Crossing on, and I’ll never get to use the other play my real save.

I hope that I’m overreacting to all of this. It’s possible that Nintendo has thought it through and this really is for the best possible player experience. It doesn’t feel that way, though. Right now, a month out from release, it’s making me kinda uneasy. And that’s not what I want from Animal Crossing.

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How many players can share a single island?

Up to eight players can live on one shared island, using the same Nintendo Switch system, and one game.

How many users can play together?

Up to eight players can live on the same island within each game. With one Nintendo Switch system and one game, up to four people can play on the same island simultaneously (additional accessories required).

Additionally, up to eight people can play together on one island via local wireless or online play. Local wireless play and online play require one system and one game per player. For online play, a Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) and Nintendo Account are required.

When multiple players live on one island, does everyone have access to the same places and items?

There are some tasks on the island that the Resident Representative (first resident on the island) must complete before the related features will be open to other players. For example, only the Resident Representative can receive and set up Blathers’ museum tent. Once the tent is in place, all island residents can donate items to the museum.

It is not possible to reassign the Resident Representative role to another player. If certain places or items in the game aren’t available for island residents, have the Resident Representative progress to the point where the item or feature is available for them, then try again.

Is there a way to create multiple islands?

Animal Crossing New Horizons 3d Map

You can only create one island per Nintendo Switch system, even if you use multiple games. A different system is required to create a different island.

The island save data is saved on the Nintendo Switch system, so there will only be one island (save file), even if different games are used on the same system.

If I purchase a second system, can I transfer the save file (island data) to a different console?

After updating your Animal Crossing: New Horizons software to the latest version, you will be able to transfer your island save data or individual resident to a new Nintendo Switch system. See How to Transfer Animal Crossing: New Horizons Save Data for full details on the different options to transfer save data.

Additionally, if you have backed up your island data on your first Nintendo Switch system and lost access to it, you will be able to restore it on your second system. For instructions, see How to Back Up and Restore Island Save Data.

Is this game compatible with Save Data Cloud?

This game does not support the Save Data Cloud functionality of Nintendo Switch Online.However, after you update the game to version 1.4.0 or later, you will have the ability to enable island backup in the event of console failure, loss, or theft. This feature is available to those with an active Nintendo Switch Online membership. For more information, see How to Backup and Restore Island Save Data (Animal Crossing: New Horizons).

What is an island backup?

Island backup saves your island data and progress to our servers in the event you lose access to your Nintendo Switch system. If this happens, you can restore your island on a replacement Nintendo Switch system. Island backup is not enabled by default, so you will need to enable it in the in-game settings. For more information, see How to Backup and Restore Island Save Data (Animal Crossing: New Horizons).

What do I need to enable island backup?

To enable island backup, you need a Nintendo Account that has an active Nintendo Switch Online membership and that has created a resident on the island. Only one island resident can enable island backup, but the island data and progress will be backed up for all players in the event it needs to be restored.

How do I enable island backup?

For steps to enable island backup, see How to Backup and Restore Island Save Data (Animal Crossing: New Horizons).

Animal Crossing New Horizons 3d Map Designer

When do island backups happen?

After island backup is enabled, your island data is saved periodically when your Nintendo Switch system is connected to the internet and no one is playing the game on your system. The last time your island was backed up will be displayed in the bottom-left corner of the title screen

Can I disable island backup after it is enabled?

Yes. After island backup is enabled, it can be disabled by the same user that enabled it in the in-game settings. For more information, see How to Backup and Restore Island Save Data (Animal Crossing: New Horizons).

How do I restore data from my island backup?

If you have replaced your Nintendo Switch system after it was lost or broken, you can restore you island data using the same Nintendo Account that enabled island backup. For more information, see How to Backup and Restore Island Save Data (Animal Crossing: New Horizons).

What is transferred to the new system with a full island transfer?

When a full island transfer is completed, all island save data, progress, animal neighbors, residents, and resident's inventory and homes are transferred to the new system. No Animal Crossing: New Horizons save data will remain on the original system.

What is transferred to the new system when a resident moves?

When a resident moves to an island on a new Nintendo Switch system, only data and items related to that resident is transferred. The table below shows what is transferred and what is not transferred.