A PlayStation game, Anime Life Sim, has generated controversy due to its striking resemblance to Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH). The game appears to be a near-identical clone, mirroring not only the visual style but also the core gameplay loop.
While the Animal Crossing franchise has inspired numerous games, Anime Life Sim stands out for its blatant imitation. Developed and published by IndieGames3000, the game's PlayStation Store listing explicitly describes gameplay mechanics virtually identical to ACNH: home building and decoration, befriending animal neighbors, fishing, bug catching, gardening, crafting, and fossil hunting.
Legally, game mechanics themselves are generally not patentable. However, the visual similarities between Anime Life Sim and ACNH – art style, character design, and graphical elements – could potentially infringe on Nintendo's copyright. While Nintendo is known for its aggressive legal actions, whether they will pursue Anime Life Sim remains uncertain.
Anime Life Sim is currently slated for a February 2026 release on PlayStation 5, with PS4 compatibility unconfirmed. The game's striking resemblance to ACNH raises questions about the boundaries of inspiration and outright imitation in game development.
