LittleBigPlanet Developer Reportedly Working On Animal Crossing-Like Game For 2027 Release

Media Molecule, the developer behind LittleBigPlanet, is reportedly crafting a new social-simulation game reminiscent of Animal Crossing. The latest news comes from MP1st, which states that the studio has been working on this project for some time now. The upcoming game is expected to feature the kind of social-simulation mechanics that define Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon titles.

While specifics about the gameplay remain undisclosed, reports suggest that the game will be announced and released in 2027 if all goes as planned.

Last year, a Media Molecule employee mentioned that their next game would be open-world, sparking speculation about the nature of this upcoming title. The studio's last game, Dreams, launched in early 2020 but struggled to gain traction despite its ambitious scope. This development arrives at a time when PlayStation is selective in its investments.

The fate of Media Molecule may well depend on the success of this next project, given that Dreams did not achieve the expected level of success. Additionally, other studios facing similar struggles include Hideo Kojima's project, Physint, which faced cancellation by PlayStation before being rescued by Xbox, and the recent layoffs at Bluepoint and Bungie following underwhelming game performances.

Media Molecule's ability to deliver a hit game similar to Animal Crossing on PlayStation is hopeful, but the stakes are high.