Unlike Microsoft’s approach, Nintendo’s games are unlikely to appear on the PlayStation 5. Capitalizing on this, a questionable store listing features what appears to be a blatant imitation of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The game, titled Anime Village Online, shares striking similarities with the beloved Nintendo title.
The recently spotted PlayStation Store entry showcases a character resembling an Animal Crossing Villager jumping happily beneath a bright blue sky. The description of Anime Village Online echoes the core gameplay elements that define the Nintendo franchise. It states, “Design and create your dream home, personalize furniture, cultivate crops, go fishing, and decorate to reflect your unique style.” Furthermore, players can “Explore scenic forests, rivers, beaches, and secret pathways. Discover resources, interact with NPC villagers, and unlock new content and areas as you progress.”
Anime Village Online purportedly will include cross-platform play and is slated for release in 2027. The listed developer is Wisnu Sudirman. According to a LinkedIn profile under that name, the individual is a recent graduate from Indonesia. Interestingly, Anime Village Online isn’t their sole project. They also appear to be developing a title named Rooted: Survival, which has promotional artwork reminiscent of an AI-generated copy of The Last of Us.
“Rooted: Survival offers a harsh, immersive survival experience in a post-bacteriological warfare world. A century after civilization’s downfall, nature has reclaimed the Earth, but it’s not uninhabited,” the description reads. Notably, the game includes a disclaimer: “All referenced game titles, brands, characters, and visual elements are the property of their respective owners. Any similarities are intended purely as homage or satire for entertainment purposes. No copyright infringement is intended.”
Could this be an elaborate joke? Is it a statement about the PlayStation Store’s content moderation? This instance joins a trend of AI-generated or low-quality content appearing on the platform, seemingly aimed at misleading casual gamers searching for popular titles. Often, these attempts target successful indie games from Steam that lack the resources to defend their intellectual property. However, targeting one of the most copyright protective companies, who also own the platform, is a different level. The question remains whether or not this listing will be addressed by Sony.