Animal Crossing New Horizons: where gaming and fashion become one

You can go back to having your much desired social life! The release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Nintendo Switch is a real escape from our monotonous and sedentary lives these days.

We are all tired of the usual violent games, where your life is worth more than all the others to be able to get to the end of the video game. And then after destroying and wiping out everything we meet, what is really left in our hands? Well I would say nothing … the game ends and we just have to move on to another.

In this revolutionary game there is no goal, no time, no simulated violence and no real stress!

You are wondering why dedicate an entire article to a video game. The answer is that this virtual reality combines gaming and fashion in an alternative and original way. Musician and visual artist Kara Chung designed Animal Crossing’s Pro Designs feature which allows players to create their own designer clothes in true streetwear style. Furthermore, everything becomes even more tempting for the opportunity given to street lovers to present their projects on the Instagram page of the artist and co-creator of the game.

Supreme, Cactus Plant Flea Market and visvim to high fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior and Chanel, the players’ creations have shown how the seemingly simple game can provide a new outlet to show personality and creativity. A game that launches a real trend in an era of strong social distancing.

Swinging between real and virtual Kara Chung reflects on the role of clothing, in the intangible and real worlds. The truth is that through the ups and downs of everyday life, your favorite jacket can look like legendary armor. So a street garment even within an invisible way can reflect and reconfirm its identity.

“We are a couple of steps closer to our real life when we personalize our identity in the game.” That’s why playing in real time with the ability to decide and change your clothes from scratch is so powerful!

During this pandemic we did the opposite: from going out and having the freedom to reveal ourselves to the world, wearing our “armor”, to stay indoors without being able to show ourselves to anyone.

Video games give us back this freedom. Instead of simply using a “default” character, you have the opportunity to find yourself in an avatar who is free to roam and interact with others, without being tied to current events.

In a world where people and events are suspended in the air, Animal Crossing gives people back what they really need right now. The welcome paths, useful items and signs of encouragement left by others who are playing. They perfectly understand the nature of current events. A game that manages to bridge the separation between a world deemed unsafe and the relationships we have with our loved ones.