Just weeks after the Taiwanese premier stated the country’s stance on banning games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the Taiwanese Ministry of Interior has used the game as a means of promoting social distancing.
Although Taiwan isn’t struggling to keep Covid-19 under control like other nations, the government continues to promote social distancing to reduce exposure and prevent the virus from becoming unmanageable.
Here, models representing player characters in Animal Crossing: New Horizons are shown maintaining 1 meter of distance between each other. The Taiwanese Ministry of Interior recommends citizens maintain 1 meter of distance in public and 1.5 meters when indoors.
They also recommend separating public eating spaces with plastic dividers, as demonstrated here:
Separating public diners with plastic barriers in combination with the 1.5 meter social distance could be an effective way for restaurants to remain open despite the epidemic, as it can significantly reduce the potential spread of biomaterial. However, air conditioning may allow Coronavirus to spread further than usual in confined spaces, so self-isolation is still encouraged.
It may seem strange for a government body to use a video game as a way to communicate with their citizens, but the massive popularity of Animal Crossing: New Horizons allows such organizations to use it to their advantage.
In March alone, Nintendo Switch sales doubled, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons was the game most buyers got to go with it. Self-isolation has caused many to seek ways to entertain themselves while remaining at home, and video games happen to be one of the many ways to do that. Plus, the Nintendo Switch is one of the least expensive game consoles, which makes it financially viable for those struggling to get by during the shut-down.
As for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the game is family-friendly, low-stress, and uses simple mechanics. People who have never played a video game before are able to pick it up without needing to overcome any of the usual learning curves associated with most other video games. And, it’s primarily about going outside and building community, both of which many have felt deprived of in recent times.
Perhaps in weeks to come, the Taiwanese government will continue using Animal Crossing: New Horizons as a way to relate to people. Until then, we appreciate the images they’ve put out so far.
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