It’s been a long summer at your very own Animal Crossing Island. They shook a lot of trees and caught a lot of cicadas. I crammed the Stalk Market with more kale than anyone thought possible. I have bought more furniture from Nooks than your home can accommodate.

But the Joe Biden campaign thinks you might want a reminder of news from the real world: a virtual campaign tag for your virtual arena.

The campaign said it made four banners available on the stage on Tuesday, the day fall for the Nintendo Switch begins. One of the signs bears the Biden Harris logo. Others say “Team Joe” and “Joe” with “E” presented in Pride colors. The fourth holds a stylized image of Mr. Biden aviator sunglasses.

This isn’t the first time a political campaign has attempted to take advantage of a popular video game. But this may be the first effort to involve so much woodcutting, bug spotting and raccoon kitchen gadgets.

President Trump’s campaign was against the trick. “That explains it all: Joe Biden thinks he’s campaigning for the boss of Animal Crossing from his basement,” Samantha Zagher, deputy national press secretary for the campaign, said in an email.

“The Trump campaign will continue to spend its resources on campaigning in the real world with real Americans,” she said. And there’s still Joe Biden Boat parade. “

Christian Tom, Director of Digital Partnerships for Biden Harris Campaign, said Animal Crossing is “a dynamic, diverse and robust platform that brings communities together from all over the world.” He described it as an exciting new opportunity for our campaign to reach out to supporters “as they build and decorate their islands.”

“We are really looking forward to bringing more digital tools, voter education, and organizing efforts on Animal Crossing and other platforms,” added Tom.

Right now, it looks like no one gets a code to fly Dodo Airlines to Campaign Island (it doesn’t have an island), which it is. The game slows down when more than a few visitors travel in and out.

The Biden-Harris campaign said it would plant the flags with some gaming influencers who will share their playing style with their fans. Players can download the banners via a QR code and the Nintendo Switch Online app on a mobile device.

Animal Crossing, a whimsical life simulation game She became a phenomenon of the switch during the coronavirus pandemic, Has been around since 2001. In August, I mentioned Nintendo Over 22 million sales of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Making it the most popular version of the game to date. Its players are essentially rulers of their own worlds, as they alter and customize landscapes, their homes, and other villagers as they see fit (or as much as the rules allow) Tom Knock, Who makes loans and charges huge construction fees).

The game’s appeal comes in part from cute animals sputtering phrases while wearing a variety of fashions as well as from the relentlessly cheerful illusion that nothing is happening, no reason to rush, no crisis, no news whatsoever.

Political messages are not new to this version of the game, which was released on March 20, days after the pandemic was declared.

during Protests in Hong Kong earlier this year, Taking the activists to their Animal Crossing Islands to Share default logos. In May, people are for the ethical treatment of animals Fish museum protested in the game. More recently, Black Lives Matter activists have used it to raise awareness of their cause, and even organize in-game demonstrations. The Guardian reported.

Nintendo did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

Not all political efforts to attract players went well. The Pokémon Go mobile game was at its peak in popularity in 2016 when Hillary Clinton was mocked To urge people at a rally to “Pokemon Go to the polls!”

In the 2007 and 2008 presidential campaigns of Mrs. Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards and John McCain have engaged to players in Second Life, a virtual world over the Internet. There isn’t much data on whether these efforts have been successful, said Daniel Chris, a professor of political communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

With fewer people watching TV, he said, “traditional 30-second ad serving is much less relevant than it used to be” Denise’s plane, Professor of Politics at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, especially when ads can be easily skipped.

He said that the campaigns in “video games are a bit strange because they target a younger market, but people can vote at the age of 18,” adding that “campaigns that succeed in attracting people between the ages of 18 and 25 are often able to continue voters.” With the same party all their lives. “

Professor Blaine said posting the virtual campaign grass banners at Animal Crossing wouldn’t move many people, but it could spark enthusiasm and enthusiasm among the supportive players of Biden and their friends.

He said, “In the era of the Coronavirus, where you cannot knock on doors very easily, it is a new technology and a new tactic.” We don’t know if it will work or not. The proof will be in the dessert. “

to me Elena Birtuzzi, Professor of Game Design and Development at Quinnipiac University, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was launched in this new environment where everyone was staying home and playing games, and its audience grew to include many non-traditional players.

“Animal Crossing is a pro-social game where players write each other’s messages and interact in ways that build community,” she said. “It’s a good cultural match for Biden’s message.”

“When you know that the demographic you are trying to reach is all playing a certain game, dropping your message in that game can be a smart strategic move,” she said.