Biden Campaign Creates Digital Campaign Signage for Animal Crossing: New Horizons

In a move that’s either brilliant or inspires visions of Steve Buscemi holding a skateboard, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are taking the presidential campaign to player’s deserted islands in Animal Crossing: New Horizions. Starting today, players will be able to download four official Joe Biden yard signs as part of the campaign’s initiative to mobilize voters. With 22.4 million units sold in just six months, Animal Crossing seems a pretty great place for politicians to start the foray into interacting with audiences through games.

“Animal Crossing is a dynamic, diverse, and powerful platform that brings communities together from across the world,” Christian Tom, director of digital partnerships for the Biden campaign, said in a statement to The Verge. “It is an exciting new opportunity for our campaign to engage and connect Biden-Harris supporters as they build and decorate their islands.”

While celebrities, and even politicians, interacting with players through Animal Crossing is nothing new (as well as advertising, museum collections, and even concerts, this is presumably the first time political campaigning has entered any game to this degree. Time will only tell if this move pays off for the Biden campaign, but with 2016 voter turnout at a 20-year low and campaign spending astronomical as ever, the idea of creating free, in-game art to create publicity and reach voters seems like a simple and fairly non-insidious step to take in campaigning.

All four signs are available today and can be added to your island by scanning the QR codes through the Nintendo Switch Online app. Here’s hoping your new decor doesn’t lead to any unpleasant confrontations with your neighbors because Lord knows we still need some escape.