ANIMAL CROSSING EFFECT: XBOX NEEDS TO EMBRACE CUTE ‘N CUDDLY ALONGSIDE GRITTY REALISM

     Xbox has found itself in a quandary. On one side of the aisle are folks screaming “We need more mature games! I’m tired of the kiddie stuff.” On the other side are fans clamoring for more family friendly games that fill a different void in the entertainment sphere. Cyclically, this has been an issue for Xbox to properly solve. Often, they have shifted dramatically to one side or the other, pumping out numerous games that quiet down that particular fan segment. This is not a healthy or feasible way to address the dilemma. Instead, Xbox needs to simultaneously embrace both sides of the gaming coin (family friendly/gritty realism) and publish games of both types within an established time period. This way, no faction of the fanbase is alienated, and all are happy.

      The humongous, record breaking success of the latest Animal Crossing game, highlights a clear desire for family friendly, warm ‘n fuzzy type games. Xbox has some IP’s locked away in storage that would splendidly help with this. Banjo-Kazooie and Viva Pinata come immediately to mind. Rare has been focused on new IP for this generation, but if they would have a small team focus on these, it’d surely make a lot of fans happy, and win some much-needed support for Xbox. Better yet, they could have another studio in the Xbox Family work on them if they have a great idea for the IP’s. With the Initiative rumored to be working on a reboot of Rare’s beloved Perfect Dark series, a blueprint may be there for this type of collaboration within Xbox to thrive!