Players were left bewildered this week as the paid version ofAnimal Crossing: Pocket Campwas released with a major feature from the free version missing. First launching in 2017, the original version ofPocket Campwas a free-to-play mobile game with microtransactions.That version went offlineon July 13, 2025, and wasreplaced on December 2 byAnimal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete, an offline-only version with no microtransactions, but requiring players to pay a one-time fee of $9.99 USD.
One player,Expensive_Future2839on Reddit, is regretting that purchase after realizing thatthe paid version ofPocket Camplacks any kind of multiplayer features. Multiplayer was always part of the free version ofPocket Camp. Players were able to visit each other’s camps, trade items, and gather resources together as long as each of them had a sufficient internet connection, but all these features seem to be missing from the paid version, which is offline-only.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Players Wonder How In-Game Features Will Work
“I’m Confused”
More so than justPocket Camp, multiplayer has (almost) always been an important part ofAnimal Crossingin general. It was introduced in its second-ever title,Wild World, and has played a major role in every mainline title since.Animal Crossingmultiplayer has more or less always worked the same way, with players able to visit each other’s towns/cities/islands/camps, enjoy each other’s decorating and designing skills, and participate in fishing, gathering, or bug-catching activities together.
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete Sets The Perfect Example For One Other Nintendo Game To Follow
Pocket Camp Complete sets a standard that Nintendo should follow with one of its other mobile games.
Players are now able totransfer their originalPocket Campsavesand build them up with all the premium items they want, eventually achieving that perfect design they always strove for. But without multiplayer,they’ll never have anyone to share it with.Pocket CampCompletehas left some players with an empty feeling as a result. In-game multiplayer events like the Together! Event, still scheduled to begin later this month, are now effectively meaningless. Players likemimilandexpress their disappointment at the lack of multiplayer interactivity, citing it as one of the reasons they enjoyed the original game.
But multiplayer wasn’t just a social affair. In fact,multiplayer is the only way that players can share certain unique materials with their friends. For example, eachPocket Campsave file has its own native fruit (lemons, lychee, or grapes). The only way to get another type of fruit is to trade with other players, either purchasing them through another player’s Market Box, or by picking them from a friend’s island. As the original poster points out, the fruit exchange is impossible in an offline-only version. Others, likeBaroness_Soolas, say they’ll miss the utility of trading bugs.
But all that aside,many players say they’ll just miss the fun of sharing their camps with friends. Some, however, offer an alternative: social media. Users likeMrMalignancesuggest players who miss the social aspect ofPocket Camppost screenshots of their designs on Reddit or aPocket CampDiscord server, sharing ideas and feedback the same as always - just through different channels.
Pocket Camphas never had a proper chat feature, sousing social media as a substitute for multiplayer is almost superior - almost. There’s still some magic lost when you’re not able to walk around other people’s islands, to explore and interact directly with what they’ve built.
Our Take: Is Animal Crossing Pocket Camp Just As Fun Solo?
We’ll Miss Multiplayer, But Did We Really Need It?
Some players are just happy thatPocket Campcontinues to exist in any capacity - it’s all too common for mobile games like this one to shut down forever, with no recourse for players who have poured hundreds of hours into them. But while some players will missPocket Camp’s multiplayer features,others, likeupdown27, say the game is better off without them. They appreciate the convenience of not having to participate in the social niceties of online play - filling the Market Box, sharing items, giving Kudos, et cetera are too much of a hassle.
Others point out that, without the need for internet connectivity,they can play in more places than ever before. Users likealpaca_punchxpoint out they’ll now be able to enjoyPocket Campon the subway, on planes, in the desert, et cetera. This greatly expands the portability of the game, which is a major benefit of the new offline-only format.
I wouldn’t countPocket Campout completely just because of the lack of online features. It is nice to be able to play the game anywhere, but I’ll always miss the ability to visit friends and gather materials together. It doesn’t completely ruinAnimal Crossing: Pocket Camp Completefor me, but it does make me wonder why we couldn’t have it all.
