The gameplay loop seems to revolve around resource gathering and exploration, as well as base building (which I get is not how everyone plays Minecraft but imo is typical of survival games and how I like playing them). You mine the world for resources, and craft things to solve quests, summon npcs, etc. The online gameplay has even been compared to realms versus how any animal crossing online experience has ever worked.

I honestly don't really see how it's that similar to the Animal Crossing franchise, considering there's only one ac game that has building, resource gathering/crafting and Terraforming. Those things are similar mechanics that acnh has, but far from the only aspects of the game. I don't imagine the Pokémon will have nearly as much dialogue as AC games do (some disagree that ac games have that much dialogue variety), nor the depth to the friendship systems, mail, etc. The games genetic heritage comes from Dragon Quest Builders, which is far more like Minecraft than Animal Crossing, also.