It's been over a year and a half since I last set virtual foot on my Animal Crossing: New Horizons island. Not because I stopped loving the game, but because I needed to take a break. After a string of setbacks that caused me some very real grief, what was once my escape started to feel heavy instead of cozy.

When ACNH launched, it was a daily ritual and a comforting space for me. However, sad memories of playing daily with someone who I loved but who is no longer in my life, combined with an unfortunate situation where I lost my entire island that I had played daily for years, left me feeling empty. I did try restarting my ACNH island once, but it wasn't the same.

But now, with the 3.0 update coming this January, I feel that familiar pull to check in again and start rebui

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