For many people, the pandemic means social distancing from friends and family. This creates a sense of isolation many struggle with. In the game, welcoming new neighbours to your island placed a big focus on social connections. Players could bond with the various animals visiting and living on their island. The pandemic may have made these interactions all the more rewarding. But the game also has the option to visit and host other players with an Internet connection. Families, friends, and even neighborhoods found new ways to adapt to this format. Birthdays and seasonal events allowed for safe virtual gathering. It could also allow members of a household to bond over playing the same game - together.