Ubisoft seems to be setting its sights on creating a game that melds the charm of Animal Crossing with some of the building elements we’ve seen in Minecraft. Rumor has it that this project, which goes by the codename Alterra, has been in the works for about 18 months. This development started after the company pulled the plug on another game that had already been under development for four years.
It’s been a little while since Animal Crossing: New Horizons took the gaming world by storm, reviving the beloved Nintendo series after a long wait following New Leaf. Considering the massive popularity of New Horizons, which became the second-best-selling title on the Switch, there’s a big audience eager for more—but fans have been in the dark about what Nintendo has planned next for the franchise. Meanwhile, if speculation pans out, Ubisoft might step in to offer an alternative with Alterra.
A source who shared insights with Insider Gaming mentioned that Alterra could capture the same essence as Animal Crossing by adopting a similar gameplay cycle, all while introducing building mechanics akin to Minecraft. Although numerous indie developers have ventured into territory inspired by Animal Crossing, having a heavyweight like Ubisoft attached to such a project could be a game-changer, assuming whispers of this project moving forward are accurate.
The buzz around Alterra suggests that players will find themselves on an island inhabited by charming NPCs known as Matterlings. Much like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, players can jump between islands to discover new friends, collect unique resources, and explore different environments. As an added twist, Alterra plans to let users craft structures with gathered materials, tapping into the Minecraft-like creativity that so many gamers relish. Given the natural synergy between the wholesome vibes of Animal Crossing and the creativity of Minecraft, it seems like Ubisoft is keen to blend the best of both worlds in Alterra.
Not all the Matterlings will mimic the familiar animal villagers of Animal Crossing, though. Alongside those inspired by real animals, expect to see dragons, fantasy creatures, and more in a distinctive voxel art style reminiscent of Minecraft, with a dash of Funko Pop like charm. While these tidbits sound promising, Ubisoft has yet to confirm any specifics about Alterra. If the project is indeed in the pipeline, it might still be a bit of a wait before we see its launch. There’s chatter about a possible new Animal Crossing arriving as early as 2026, which might beat Alterra to the punch, but that remains in the realm of speculation for now.
