LEGO clarifies relationship with Nintendo over Animal Crossing: New Horizons

The LEGO Group has clarified that the LEGO DOTS collaboration with Animal Crossing: New Horizons isn’t an extension of its partnership with Nintendo.

That essentially means that you shouldn’t expect to see LEGO sets based on Animal Crossing anytime soon. The LEGO Group is currently working with Nintendo for its LEGO Super Mario sets, including 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System, but it seems that’s where the buck stops for now.

LEGO DOTS arrived in Animal Crossing: New Horizons yesterday, offering players digital patterns to decorate their virtual living spaces. The initial roll-out includes 17 generic LEGO tile patterns, along with five Halloween DOTS patterns. You can grab them on flooring, wallpapers, canvases, rugs and even avatars.

According to a statement on the LEGO Ambassador Network, though, all this content is simply the LEGO DOTS brand “tapping into” Animal Crossing, as plenty of other brands have done before it.

Here’s the original announcement in full:

This first sprinkle of DOTS patterns in Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes off with a spooky twist: Halloween! Select patterns will include classic Halloween references such as ghosts, and bats, and allow playful souls to celebrate this magic season with all surprises and trick or treats that follow, regardless of any Covid-19 related restrictions fans may be facing in the real world.

All digital DOTS patterns offered for Animal Crossing: New Horizons reflect the physical tiles and patterns of LEGO DOTS, and much like in real life, people can unlock their creativity and express themselves through a variety of colourful patterns.

The full range of LEGO Super Mario sets is available now. 71360 Adventures with Mario Starter Course is proving popular on retailers’ Christmas lists, including those from Hamleys and Tesco, while it’s also secured a spot on the Toy Retailers Association’s Dream Toys list for 2020.

Micro_Model_Maker’s Animal Crossing LEGO Ideas project is currently under review by the Ideas team, so products based on the popular simulation game could well be on the cards at some point. Just don’t expect them as a result of this LEGO DOTS collaboration.

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