A PlayStation game, Anime Life Sim, has sparked controversy for its striking resemblance to Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH). The game appears to be a near-identical clone, mirroring not only the visuals but also the core gameplay loop.
While numerous games draw inspiration from Animal Crossing, Anime Life Sim goes further, exhibiting a level of direct imitation that's less common. Developed and published by IndieGames3000, the game's PlayStation Store listing explicitly highlights features virtually identical to ACNH: home building and decoration, befriending animal neighbors, and engaging in activities like fishing, bug catching, gardening, crafting, and fossil hunting.
The legal implications are complex. According to patent analyst Florian Mueller, game mechanics themselves aren't patentable. However, copyright law protects visual elements such as art style and character design. Therefore, any legal action by Nintendo against Anime Life Sim would likely center on the visual similarities to ACNH.
Nintendo's history of legal action is well-documented, but whether they will pursue this case remains uncertain. Anime Life Sim is currently slated for a February 2026 release on PS5, with PS4 compatibility yet to be confirmed.
