How ‘Animal Crossing’ Is Preparing Players to Trade Stocks

“Animal Crossing: New Horizons” became a hit game during the pandemic by providing an enjoyable escape: a virtual paradise where home-bound players across the globe could begin life anew, building up idyllic islands alongside fellow villagers, who appear in the form of birds, dogs, or even ostriches.

For Angie Fung, 24, Nintendo’s hottest game of the season led to something unexpected: It turned her into a stock investor.