Creativity at play: content-creators and micro-entrepreneurship in animal crossing: new horizons

Digital games have evolved significantly since their emergence in the 1970s, offering users not only entertainment but also opportunities for creativity, entrepreneurship, and community building. This study explores these dynamics through a case study of Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH) (Nintendo EPD, 2020), focusing specifically on a selected group of prominent content creators active on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitch, and TikTok. These individuals engage in practices that extend beyond gameplay, including streaming, digital design services, and fan-made merchandise. Drawing on a theoretical framework centred on participatory culture, platformization, and fan labour, the article investigates how ACNH (Nintendo EPD, 2020) supports hybrid models of creativity and monetization within platform economies. Based on qualitative methods —namely document analysis and semi-structured interviews— the study examines how in-game tools and community infrastructures facilitate expressive and entrepreneurial forms of engagement for this specific profile of players. While not representative of the broader player base, the findings offer insights into how digital games can function as ecosystems where creative labour intersects with micro-entrepreneurship.