As the population continues its social distancing and self-quarantining practices, people are spending more time than ever on the internet and consuming digital content. The assumption is that this would correlate to a spike in sex and porn searches online. However, according to Google Trends, many people are looking for their digital entertainment in a more wholesome place: the digital world of Animal Crossing.
Sex and the internet is a combination that seems as old as the internet itself, but life during a global pandemic has required the internet to fulfill different needs than it did previously. The internet has become more of a social community to fill the void many are feeling now that they can't be with loved ones in person. Since humans are social creatures who have lost many of their social outlets, it makes sense that people are building communities online and in games. And perhaps there's no better pace for that than a colorful world full of friendly animals.
There could be several explanations for why more people are searching for the new Nintendo game Animal Crossing: New Horizons (which released for the Nintendo Switch on March 20) than sex. The most likely reason for this surprising statistic is because the game provides a warm slice of normalcy and stability in these turbulent and uncertain times. The game allows players to spend time outside when their current access to the outside world is at an all-time low. It also allows the player to invite friends over to their island when their friends in real life are unable to come over to their homes.
Video games work as an escape from everyday life and, while porn offers a different kind of escapism, it is the former that most people are craving at this moment in time. The main difference between the Animal Crossing type of escapism and the escapism of sexual fantasies is the level of warmth and community building innate to the game that is not present in online sex. Right now, people are alienated from their friends, coworkers and communities. Humanity is predisposed to create groups and bond with others, and when that base instinct is not presently available, they will seek it out elsewhere.
Of course, this doesn't mean that the internet has stopped looking for sexual content in favor of a Nintendo game. As the Google Trends Graph shows, there hasn't been a dramatic decrease in online searches for sex, just a huge spike for Animal Crossing. So it's not the case that people are no longer interested in sex, but that likely an increase in online searches more generally that Animal Crossing is benefitting from due to its release date and content.
Children and families who are social distancing and quarantining are bound to have an effect on the demand for appropriate online content they can share together. Animal Crossing is family-friendly and appeals to people of all ages, so some of the searches could be coming from families playing the game together, while others come from other gamers looking for content or information on the game.
The global response to COVID-19 has resulted in physical separation within society, meaning people have had to get creative in how they spend their time off and online. And, since Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers a slice of life people cannot currently experience in the outside world, the game offers players a welcome taste of their pre-quarantine lives.