Nintendo on December 2 will release Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete, a paid offline version of the iOS game that existing users will be able to play after the original is shut down.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp is a freemium app that Nintendo has regularly been adding new content to over the last seven years, so there are players with money invested in the game. There are no more events or updates, with the Pocket Camp service set to be discontinued on November 29, but the paid offline version will allow saves to be transferred over.
The new paid version includes all the content added since the free online version of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp was released in 2017. The gameplay is virtually identical to the previous version, but without in-app purchases or the ability to interact with other human players. Existing users can transfer their saved data from the previous version to the offline variant until June 2, 2025. Transferring a Pocket Camp save to the new app requires linking to a Nintendo Account.
The offline version will include new content, including the ability to create a Camper Card for players to introduce themselves to other players. The cards can be scanned for collecting and exchanging. There is also a new location to visit, called Whistle Pass, where players whose cards have been scanned come to visit. Nintendo says this is an alternative to the existing online mode, where players visit each other's camping spot.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete can now be pre-ordered in the App Store and is a one-time $9.99 purchase until January 31, 2025, when the price will go up to $19.99. The game will be playable from December 2, 2024, while the online servers of the existing free game will close on November 29.
Update: December 3 was the launch date originally given in Nintendo's marketing materials, but a press release published this morning on behalf of the company states that the game will be released on December 2. This article has subsequently been updated.
