Damn dude, Isabelle would be very disappointed in your lack of empathy. The real problem isn't even that we're getting an AC direct, it's that we still haven't gotten a general one when 2020's line-up is currently barren. That's relevant regardless of whether or not one likes AC.

But why is that a problem? Animal crossing is the big title, a general direct really isnt needed yet 

Animal Crossing is great, but it's just one game. People want to know what's coming to their system they payed $300 for. Currently there's barely anything slated for 2020. That's just not a good look, reminiscent of the Wii U days.

It’s one game, but it’s a huge. If animal crossing didn’t exist, I would say you are right. However, a general direct isnt exactly needed. The direct will come, anyone with common sense knows that so I don’t know why people see it as an issue  

It's more notable now because at this point we normally would have gotten the direct already. Makes it seem like they don't have much atleast for the first half of the year. That could change easily of course, a direct in March announcing games for May/June/July is what I'm currently hoping for.

I come back here expecting to see reactions to the direct, but there's nothing, how sad.

What wasn't sad was that direct though! I continue to be blown away by how great the game looks! I was constantly pausing to admire the details and atmosphere, man dat museum! It's because of this I didn't mind how the first part of the direct mostly went over old information again. The second half wasn't chock full of new to the series content like I was hoping, but it's still good to see old staple features return and how they're implemented this time around. Shops being in the town again is a welcome surprise. I was convinced they'd all be on a separate island akin to mainstreet which I don't prefer.

I could go on, but yeah Tom Nook can sign me right up!

I just had a small stroke.

How a general direct isn't needed?

Not really. General Directs seem to be something they're phasing out in favour of regular Youtube and Switch News channel updates with Directs being focused on independent titles. In the past, Nintendo usually only did 1 or 2 general updates per year, prior to 2011. A factor they're likely considering is that the Nintendo Directs have not seemed to been very beneficial as almost always impact stocks negatively, and very often fan reactions are mixed at best. They also have failed to improve sales; in fact, since they began phasing Directs out over the past couple of years, hardware and software sales have gone up - so either general Directs have little to no effect, or a negative effect on sales. They've been ramping them down since 2015, I think 2020 is the end of General Directs outside of special events/occasions (Summer event show Update, New Hardware). It's telling of that they didn't even do a general Direct for this year's shopping season.

Anyway, back on topic. What interested me BY FAR the most of the Animal Crossing Direct was the landscaping. HOLY CRAP, that's the sort of thing I always wanted in Animal Crossing.

The one disappointment is that the only way to share a town is if the accounts are on the same Switch, and simultaneous multiplayer can only be done between 4 players on the same screen. That's a bit disappointing for me considering I'm the only one in my household who uses the Switch as a home console - my wife and kids pretty much see home consoles as "something old fashioned that only dad likes."

This is particularly disappointing because Stardew Valley already has local multiplayer between multiple Switches, where players reside in the same town. Although, this seems like something that can be handled with a patch, simultaneous multiplayer is already there - the only thing that needs to be added is the ability to stream data to another console. Star Dew Valley required a more extensive update that required a new game, but that's because there was no simultaneous multiplayer to begin with, all of that had to be added in. With AC for Switch, it's not a content update so much as an interface update which should not impact saves.

Hyped, hyped, hyped!

Sorry for not being here to discuss earlier, but I don't get on VGC until I get to work at 9:30 pst (cuz the site sucks on mobile, y'know). Had trouble staying asleep until the 6am start time and watched the presentation with my girlfriend. It was her first time watching something like this and she was so happy, especially with the ability to make waterfalls. She's been all about Stardew Valley these days, but now just can't wait until March 20th. In fact, she's plotting ways to get it early. Haha.

We'll be buying two copies of the game for sure, and likely having avatars on each other's islands as well.

I still have no negatives with this game, despite the grumbly rumblings on the net.

Not needed at the moment*