Blatant Animal Crossing Copy Appears on PlayStation Store

Anime Life Sim: A Striking Resemblance to Animal Crossing: New Horizons

A new PlayStation game, Anime Life Sim, has generated considerable buzz due to its uncanny resemblance to Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH). The game, developed and published by IndieGames3000, appears to be a near-identical clone, mirroring not only the visuals but also the core gameplay loop.

While Animal Crossing has inspired numerous games, Anime Life Sim stands out for its direct replication of ACNH's mechanics. The PlayStation Store description itself highlights features strikingly similar to those in Nintendo's 2020 hit: building and decorating homes, befriending animal neighbors, fishing, bug catching, gardening, crafting, and fossil hunting – all core elements of ACNH.

Legal Considerations: Gameplay vs. Visuals

According to patent analyst Florian Mueller, game rules are generally not patentable. This means creating a game with similar gameplay mechanics to ACNH isn't inherently illegal. However, the legal landscape shifts when considering visuals. Copyright law protects aspects such as art style, character design, and graphical elements. Should Nintendo choose to pursue legal action against Anime Life Sim, the visual similarities to ACNH would likely be the primary focus.

Nintendo's reputation for aggressive legal action is well-established. Whether they will target Anime Life Sim remains to be seen. Currently, Anime Life Sim is slated for a February 2026 release on PlayStation 5, with PS4 compatibility yet to be confirmed.