Hacked Animal Crossing Items Apparently Removed By Fall Update

Animal Crossing: New Horizons finally received its fall patch today, and while most players are excited to plant pumpkins and dress up in fancy Halloween costumes, it also had an unfortunate side effect that has left many of the game's die-hard fans upset. Some players updated their game only to find that their hacked items have faded away, ruining the carefully-constructed aesthetic of their island.

As with previous Animal Crossing games, intrepid players have used external devices and exploits to get their hands on items buried in New Horizons' code that are unobtainable by other means. (Some players even specialize in visiting other islands and giving out these unauthorized items simply for fun.) These items include star fragment trees and the beloved Harv's fence, which was perceived by the community as an ideal fall decoration. Now, Harv's fence has slipped away, gone like tears in rain.

To be clear, this doesn't affect all of the hacked items in New Horizons. However, Nintendo has definitely sent a message to the game's fanbase: Have fun within the dotted lines, please. Some players are also reporting problems with the game's confusing poster system and its associated catalog, and it's not yet clear if this is intended behavior. Considering Nintendo has just announced that it's bringing back Animal Crossing Amiibo cards, which allow players to collect posters, it's probably yet another crackdown to prevent player cooperation.

If you're trying to complete the catalog in Animal Crossing, be sure to catch these fish and bugs before October 1. A similar holiday-themed update is slated for November.