Pandemic "dream job": Company offers $1,000 to play Animal Crossing - CBS News

A company that provides internet speed comparisons is dangling a pandemic "dream job": Earning $1,000 to play 50 hours of Animal Crossing, the Nintendo video game that became a hit during the nationwide shutdown earlier this year. .

The offer is clearly a promotional stunt for the company, Salt Lake City-based HighSpeedInternet.com, but the company said it's received 12,000 applications in the few days since it announced the offer on July 6.

She believes Animal Crossing became a hit during the pandemic because it's a "wholesome, fun, light game," she said.

The Internet research company decided it wanted to key into the cultural issues going on in the pandemic, like the widespread popularity of the game.

Last year, the company's goal in offering $1,000 to play Fortnite was to highlight internet speed issues faced by gamers, especially those living in rural areas that lack high speed connections.

Merinda said she'll be looking through the Animal Crossing applications by hand, after screening for some basic requirements, such as being over 18 and owning a copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as well as a Nintendo Switch. .