PlayStation Is Working On ‘Animal Crossing’

Sony’s beloved but often quiet studio behind “LittleBigPlanet” appears to be cooking up something entirely different from its usual playbook.

A newly surfaced leak suggests the PlayStation exclusive in development could put the console in direct competition with one of Nintendo’s most beloved franchises.

PlayStation Leak: ‘Animal Crossing’-Like Game In the Works

A report from MP1st points to Media Molecule working on a brand new IP built around open-world exploration and re portfolio. The listing belongs to a senior environment designer who has been with the studio since April 2025, and it describes their role on an unannounced project simply as new IP

According to the portfolio, the designer’s responsibilities include level blocking out main points of interest, moment-to-moment gameplay, forage design, and scripting various gameplay elements.

The mention of forage design paired with open world content strongly suggests reures that echo the kind of cozy exploration and collecting loop players know from “Animal Crossing.”

Media Molecule co-founder Mark Healey had previously described the mystery project as more of a game than a creative tool, a notable shift given the studio built its reputation entirely around user-generated content platforms.

PlayStation to Rival Nintendo With Cozy Sim Game

If the leak holds up, this would mark a dramatic departure for Media Molecule, whose entire catalog has centered on play, create, and share sandboxes like “LittleBigPlanet” and “Dreams” rather than structured, goal-driven experiences, said ComicBook.

Moving toward an open world game with foraging and exploration mechanics puts the studio in territory much closer to Nintendo’s cozy life sim space than anything it has built before.

PlayStation has traditionally leaned on action-heavy, cinematic single-player experiences and multiplayer live service projects to define its first-party lineup. The company has rarely ventured into the relaxed, low-stakes simulation genre that Nintendo has spent decades perfecting through franchises like “Animal Crossing.”

Nintendo’s hold on that space has remained largely unchallenged by major console makers, since cozy sims tend to thrive more on handheld and hybrid devices where short, casual play sessions fit naturally into a player’s day.

A first-party PlayStation title built around foraging and village-style exploration would represent a notable pivot into unfamiliar territory for Sony, with this set to test the waters on their departure to cozy sim titles.

PlayStation has not officially confirmed any details about the project, and the studio itself has stayed silent since ending live support for “Dreams” back in 2023.

Cozy Life Sim from PlayStation Coming by 2027

Given that the designer’s resume traces work on this project back to April 2025, and full-scale game development at this scope typically runs several years, fans have speculated a possible 2027 window for the title based on that timeline.

Media Molecule also underwent a round of layoffs affecting 15 to 20 percent of its staff back in October 2023, with the studio saying at the time it had made significant strategic changes tied specifically to this new project.

Nothing here has been confirmed by PlayStation or Media Molecule, and the leak stems entirely from an unverified developer resume rather than an official statement, so details could easily shift as the project continues moving through development.