Fans of the popular life simulation game Animal Crossing: New Horizons may not have to wait much longer for the next installment in the series, according to a new rumor. While Nintendo has remained quiet about the future of the franchise, a recent leak suggests that fans will get a glimpse of the next game in a July 2025 Nintendo Direct.
The rumor comes from YouTuber Wood Hawker, who claimed on an episode of the Nontendo Podcast that a new Nintendo Direct is on the way, and it may include the reveal of the next Animal Crossing game. The game is expected to have a 2026 release window, which aligns with past trends of the series, which typically see new entries released within three to five years of each other.
While Hawker couldn't reveal how he knows this information, the timing and pattern of previous Animal Crossing releases suggest that this rumor could be true. The last entry in the series, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, was released in 2018, and with five years having passed since then, fans are eagerly awaiting the next game.
The rumored Direct is also expected to bring more big news for other long-standing Nintendo franchises. The highly anticipated Metroid Prime 4 is still only scheduled for a general 2025 release window, but Hawker claims it will get a specific date during the July Direct.
Of course, all of these are just rumors at the moment, and it's hard to say for sure how things will pan out. However, with June coming to a close, fans won't have to wait long to see whether these rumors are true. In the meantime, those who haven't already done so can enjoy the current game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which continues to receive updates and is currently the second-best-selling Switch 1 game with over 46 million copies sold.
