Nintendo has announced that one of the most highly anticipated games of the year, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, will be playable for the first time to the public at the PAX East 2020 gaming convention.
PAX East is one of the biggest gaming conventions of the year, taking place in Boston, MA. This year PAX East 2020 is a bit earlier than usual, falling on the last weekend of February, Feb. 27 to March 1.
An entire booth will be decked out in Animal Crossing theme, including photo opportunities with life-size environments and costumed characters such as Isabelle, Tom Nook, and K.K. Slider. Attendees will get a first-ever chance to play the Animal Crossing: New Horizons demo. The demo stage will also feature a tour of the game’s single-player mode, showcasing island activities such as crafting, gardening, fishing, and decorating. Attendees will receive a Tom Nook tote bag, while supplies last.
“We hope fans are eager to visit the deserted island paradise of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, so this year at PAX East we’re bringing the island with us and inviting all attendees to play the game for the first time,” said Nick Chavez, Senior VP, Nintendo of America. “We’re looking forward to meeting with players and truly bringing our shared love of games to life.”
Nintendo will also feature playable demos for Pokémon Sword and Shield, and receive a special Galar postcard. If you bring your own Switch and copy of Pokémon, you can compete with others in Max Raid Battles, and earn special pins.
If you’d rather not wait half a day to play a demo, check out Nintendo’s Warp Pipe Pass program to reserve a limited spot, starting on Feb. 25 at 5 pm Eastern/2 pm Pacific.
PAX East Four Day tickets are currently still available, though Saturday single-day passes are sold out. PAX East 2020 kicks off this Thursday, Feb. 27. Animal Crossing: New Horizons releases March 20 on Nintendo Switch.
