Media Molecule is reportedly working on an Animal Crossing-like social sim

Ever since the unfortunate ending of Media Molecule’s highly ambitious PS4 exclusive ‘Dreams’ back in 2023, we’ve heard little from what is one of PlayStation’s more experimental studios. Despite the concerning levels of silence, it appears as though the team are hard at work on what will hopefully be their most successful project to date – with insiders claiming that Media Molecule are currently developing “a social-simulation-type of game” inspired by the likes of Animal Crossing.

Earlier this year, we got our first insight into what the team at Media Molecule might be creating, with job listings suggesting that the studio has been working on an open world game of sorts with foraging mechanics. While this may still be the case, a new report has offered far greater detail on what to expect.

According to the publication mp1st (who first reported on the previous ‘leaks’), sources have claimed that Media Molecule’s next project will be officially announced and released next year, sometime during 2027.

In terms of what this game will entail, their sources report it as being “a social-simulation-type of game, one that’s inspired by titles such as Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon.”

This lines up rather neatly with the prior leaks, given that foraging is a major part of both Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon. In terms of what kind of open-world it will be, we will have to wait and see.

Regardless, it appears as though the project will offer a complete package right from its launch, with mp1st claiming that it won’t be a games-as-a-service (though it may borrow some elements from the ‘genre’).

Of PlayStation’s many first-party studios, Media Molecule remains one of the most unique and family-friendly in the space, giving way for a great deal of potential success if the final product manages to find a solid audience base.

One thing which remains unsure is just how much the game will embrace user-generated content (an aspect of their games which has been core for many years). Given their tagline “Play, Create, Share” however, it is safe to assume that they’ll have something new and interesting up their sleeves in this regard. We hopefully won’t have to wait too long to find out what Media Molecule has been cooking.

KitGuru says: What did you think of Dreams? Do you have high hopes for Mm’s next game? Let us know down below.

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