Gaymers Rejoice! 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Is Celebrating Pride

Animal Crossing stans and gaymers everywhere, rejoice! We didn't know it was possible, but everyone's favorite Nintendo Switch title (and quarantine past time) Animal Crossing: New Horizons just got even gayer!

According to a report from Games Radar, the record-breaking social simulation game that has people all over the world clutching their Switch consoles is set to be the backdrop for an upcoming, virtual Pride-themed festival! (Animal Crossing is the perfect place to host an online Pride fest, if you ask us!) Although not officially put on by Nintendo, the event is going to be called #GlobalPrideCrossing and will take place starting on Thursday, June 18 and running throughout the rest of June.

Users who take part in the festivities will have access to a special place in the game called "Pride Island," where there will be a rainbow brick runway, a dance party, Pride-themed clothing, and more Pride-themed activities.

The virtual event is part of Global Pride 2020, Games Radar also reports, a worldwide Pride Month initiative that was organized by LGBTQ+ groups across many different countries to come together and celebrate Pride Month during the ongoing global health crisis.

"Pride is an incredibly important moment in the calendar for LGBTI+ people, as it offers the community a chance to freely express their identity in a very public way," co-president of InterPride Andrew Baker said in a statement. "However, we all knew that this year’s Pride celebrations were never going to be the same, with communities all over the world still in various stages of lockdown. So when We Are Social approached us with the idea to create a virtual space, using a platform already popular within the LGBTI+ community, where people could safely come together to express and celebrate their identities—we jumped at the chance."

The news of #GlobalPrideCrossing comes on the heels of fan speculation earlier this year that two Animal Crossing characters, CJ and Flick, were Nintendo's first openly-gay characters. Though Nintendo tried to do some backtracking when it comes to their relationship, fans know that the duo, and the Animal Crossing game in general for that matter, have now reached icon status in the geeky, LGBTQ+ community.

For more info. on Global Pride, visit their official website here!