If you want Animal Crossing on PS5, this Nintendo rip-off isn’t going to solve that

Imitators are everywhere in gaming; it’s unavoidable. Everyone wants a piece of that next big thing, but even five years later, many are still trying to copy the success of Animal Crossing. I get it, Nintendo‘s formula for island life is pitch-perfect, from the art direction to the notes K.K. Slider plays on the guitar. Many of you probably wish other consoles like the PlayStation 5 could get in on the fun, and it seems like Anime Village Online is trying to bridge that gap.

What the heck is Anime Village Online? I continue to ask myself that same question after coming across it on the PlayStation Store. Tucked away in the Wishlist section for upcoming games, you can find it. At first glance, it blows my mind how Sony is allowing this listing to appear without any copyright infringement issues. As you dig deeper into the listing, the audacity of shamelessly tugging on Animal Crossing’s coattails grows bigger.

Not only are the screenshots of Anime Village Online almost identical to Animal Crossing: New Horizons in art style and gameplay, but the game’s description is the final nail in the coffin. Mentions of villagers, gathering resources, and decorating your home. It’s all there. There’s also what seems to be a cheeky jab at Nintendo’s lack of GameChat on the original Nintendo Switch. One feature highlights that Anime Village Online contains in-game voice chat, so you can “talk, plan, and share ideas with friends directly in the game – no extra apps needed.”

It also claims that you can “play seamlessly across consoles”, implying that the strange cozy game is coming to other platforms. However, a quick search reveals that Anime Village Online is only listed on the PlayStation Store right now. Hmm. But who is bringing this game to life? The listing cites solo developer Wisnu Sudirman as the mastermind behind Anime Village Online. I’ve looked into the upcoming developer, who is the chief creative behind GamePoc.

According to the studio’s LinkedIn page, Sudirman describes it as “an independent game development studio specializing in creating immersive gaming experiences powered by Unreal Engine. As a solo developer operation, I bring passion, dedication, and a hands-on approach to every aspect of game creation.”

Surdirman’s own profile raises a few questions, with no activity in six months and a TikTok AI Self display photo. GamePoc’s website notes that the studio is based in London, but according to Companies House – a UK registry of businesses – no major developments for the studio are underway.

Whether Anime Village Online releases without the fury of a Nintendo lawsuit is another thing, but it does raise questions about the PlayStation Store’s overall vetting process. Like the eShop, it continues to be full of clearly AI-generated listings for games that probably don’t exist.