Animal Crossing's Spiritual Successor Is Coming This November

The cosy game genre has exploded in popularity over the last decade, with Animal Crossing remaining at the top of the tree as the behemoth that many upstarts try to emulate.

Though there are plenty of options out there (and more on the way), few releases look like they have the chops to actually do so in any meaningful way, but one has just announced its initial arrival date with an upcoming beta, and it tentatively looks pretty great.

Petit Planet is an upcoming life-sim from Genshin Impact developer HoYoverse that really is going all out to wrestle the crown from Animal Crossing's presumably weary head.

Over on the official website for the game, the developer shared the news that they were barreling towards what they're referring to as a cosiness test, but which is essentially the game's first beta.

"Beyond the hustle and bustle, the Starsea whispers. Deep within the Petit Planet Universe, seeds of hope and life are stirring awake. And you shall bring forth your own "star" with your very hands. Let's begin! Our journey to the Starsea awaits— Are you ready to "plant a planet," the post reads.

The beta itself is set to start on November 7, though it doesn't currently have an end date, so hopefully there will be plenty of time to peruse.

HoYoverse

Nurture A Planet Of Your Own

Regardless of how you feel about Animal Crossing as a game, it's difficult to deny that Petit Planet is trying to take it on at all the same stuff. The developer bills it as an "idyllic life filled with creativity, companionship, and exploration. Cultivate and receive unexpected harvests beneath the stars, fish in crystalline waters, comb the beach and shallows for rare catches, or even unlock tasty recipes with bold mixes of ingredients. As curiosity guides your daily activities, your bond with Neighbors who were invited to settle on the planet also deepens."

So you'll definitely be jumping into all of the same sorts of activities and pasttimes, though this does have a bit more a galactic feel to it overall that actually starts things off in a slightly more interesting way.

In really exciting news, the game is going to be free-to-play, though that does leave it open to potentially predatory microtransactions, so we live in hope that won't materialise.

It also has social features and multiplayer, though how exactly that will work is unclear at this juncture.