Nintendo Lays Out How Businesses Can and Can’t Use Animal Crossing

Following Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ success, some businesses and organizations began using the game to promote themselves. They’d share island codes, so people could come and visit, or offer designs online for people to use in their own game. Now, Nintendo shared some largely common sense guidelines for companies who might use Animal Crossing for self promotion.

For the most part, the “dos” part of Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons rules for business doesn’t change anything many organizations were doing. People are allowed to share screenshots and videos online, they can make and share (not offensive) custom designs, and codes to have people come visit either the actual or dream version of the island is fine.

It’s the don’ts that are a bit more strict. As the following guidelines suggest, Nintendo is holding people to the family-friendly atmosphere and attempting to keep people from using it to make money or promote campaigns.

Here is the full list of “don’ts” from Nintendo.

• Please be aware of the game rating and do not engage in activities that go beyond the rating.
• Please refrain from using the Game inappropriately or creating any content within the Game that would be considered vulgar, discriminatory, or offensive. Please also refrain from bringing politics into the Game.
• Please do not share false information about the Game with anyone, and do not deceive others while using the Game (e.g. falsely indicating you are separately licensed or otherwise approved by Nintendo).
• Please do not leverage the Game as a marketing platform that directs people to activities or campaigns outside the game (including directing people to a sales page, distributing coupons, sweepstakes, giveaways, requiring consumers to follow social network services accounts, gathering customers’ information, or other invitational activities).
• You are not allowed to obtain any financial benefit from using the Game (including selling your Custom Design or earning any advertising revenue with the Game content).

In the past, Crystal Dynamics, IKEA, KFC, and the Tokyo Fire Department have all used Animal Crossing: New Horizons to promote themselves.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available for the Nintendo Switch.