CJ (L) and Flick (R) are simply “roommates and business partners”, according to an Animal Crossing: New Horizons companion guide. (Nintendo)
Animal Crossing: New Horizons, a cartoony life-simulator by gaming giant Nintendo, has given countless housebound fans the opportunity to pretend that they are chatting to friends in person, hanging out in e fresh air, and generally having their life together.
…ish.
But the game, which features very little in animals crossing roads, also features very little in LGBT+ representation, apparently. While users applauded the game for not gendering its avatar customisation options, the franchise hasn’t quite gotten to actual confirmed queer characters just yet.
Yet, hope arrived in the form of a punky chameleon and chipper, hyperactive beaver.
Animal Crossing characters refer to one another as ‘partner’, so cue the fan art.
The pair, Flick and CJ, host the island’s bug and fishing contests.
In-game dialogue describes them as living together and they describe one another as their “partner”, as well as penning letters to the player describing the other with intense admiration
listen. there is no hetero explanation for cj taking up half his letter talking about how he loves watching flick make art pic.twitter.com/hTiPoP2zAw
— ✨Aster✨2/3 SLOTS OPEN✨ (@ceeberoni) April 18, 2020
Fans were quick to ship the pair and draw a low of fan art. Like, a lot.
Breakfast time with Flick and CJ pic.twitter.com/JAZLbX9m70
— Chris (@thegreyzen) April 17, 2020
more flick n cj with their dads enjoyin life 🦋🐟 pic.twitter.com/9UwQpPeqkH
— snotty @ loving snake (@snottle) April 14, 2020
The way CJ talks about Flick’s art is SO. FREAKIN. ADORABLE!! I imagine him being sooo excited when he can come home with a new art project for his talented partner ‘v’❤💛#ACNHDesigns #AnimalCrossingNewHorizons #AnimalCrossing pic.twitter.com/siB47V7XxR
— 𝕂𝕒𝕚𝕛𝕦𝕜𝕒𝕥 (@kaijukat) April 13, 2020
Love is dead: They’re just ‘roommates’ and ‘business partners’, says companion guide.
But, alas, love is dead. And the Animal Crossing: New Horizons official companion guide killed it.
They are, the guide clarified, “roommates and business partners”, with a photograph from the guide quickly ricocheting across Twitter, breaking the hearts of all in its path.
They are, we guess, just bros living with bros.
Many voiced their dismay at what could have been the video game’s first canon LGBT+ characters, wondering why, in a world where critters can buy houses with the money made by selling seashells, anyone would ever need a roommate.
THEY ARE SIMPLY ROOMMATES AND BUSINESS PARTNERS WHO APPRECIATE AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER UNCONDITIONALLY AS SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS AND ARTISTS YOU GUYS 🏳️🌈#AnimalCrossing 👀 pic.twitter.com/1T1BdyfGw2
— Rob Holley (@robholley) April 20, 2020
We weren’t asking. We’re telling you they’re gay. https://t.co/LTYsbzlW1v
— wottermelon (@wottermelon) April 19, 2020
the “flick and cj are just business partners stop trying to make every character gay!” thing is so funny cause like, look at Flick and tell me one heterosexual thing about him pic.twitter.com/nbxnmU6UV8
— finally, macintosh minus @ HIMBODIA🏝️ (@CallieGontheT) April 17, 2020
You want me to believe that Flick buys millions of dollars worth of Tarantulas from me, and he lives with CJ because its financially cheaper???? pic.twitter.com/GPBnjlm89c
— ⓒⓞⓚⓔⓥⓘⓝ (@KevinsKindaLame) April 20, 2020
“Nooo! CJ and Flick aren’t dating! Nintendo would never use the word “partner” like that!”
Nintendo: pic.twitter.com/i7F0DxoXxT
— Zeke ♥️ (@Zeke_Heart) April 16, 2020
Well, there you have it.
But we will, however, leave you with this not-at-all related note that, on Schitt’s Creek, a certain pair of same-sex characters start off as business partners and then flourish into a budding romantic relationship.
In the meantime, fans will continue clinging to Isabelle, who had a major role in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. No matter the gender of the character, she will declare to have a crush on them, with fans considering this as proof she’s pansexual or bisexual.