Nintendo has officially announced Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, along with a free update that will be available to all players starting January 15, 2026. The reveal brings exciting news for both returning players and newcomers, as the beloved life-simulation game prepares to take full advantage of the next-generation console’s hardware.
A Visual and Functional Upgrade for Switch 2
The new edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons will deliver a major visual enhancement, now capable of running in native 4K resolution when docked on compatible TVs or monitors. This marks the most significant graphical upgrade in the franchise’s history, giving the vibrant island life a sharper and more colorful look.
Nintendo also confirmed that the game will make use of the Joy-Con 2’s new motion and pointer features, allowing players to decorate spaces, create custom designs, and write bulletin board messages with greater precision — essentially turning the controller into a motion-based stylus.
Another key addition is the use of the Switch 2’s built-in microphone, introducing a megaphone feature that allows players to call out to and locate island residents in real-time.
Online gameplay is also being expanded: for the first time, up to 12 players can gather on a single island, a notable jump from the original eight-player limit on the first Switch.
For those who already own the game on the original system, Nintendo will offer a paid upgrade option to unlock the new edition’s enhanced visuals and features. Both the new edition and the upgrade will be available on January 15, 2026.
Free 3.0.0 Update for All Players
Alongside the enhanced edition, Nintendo is also rolling out a free version 3.0.0 update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons on all platforms.
One of the biggest additions is the Hotel Resort, a brand-new facility located near the pier where players can host guests, manage rooms, and unlock exclusive décor items. Another major feature, Sleep Island, allows players to enter a dreamlike creative mode where they can build and decorate without limits. Designs made here won’t affect the player’s main island, offering more freedom for experimentation. Players will now also be able to create up to three separate islands and visit friends’ worlds more seamlessly than before.
Quality-of-Life Enhancements
Nintendo is introducing several long-requested improvements to make daily island life smoother:
- Home storage capacity expanded to 9,000 items, accommodating more furniture, clothing, and materials.
- Storage system upgrades now enable the safe storage of trees, shrubs, and flowers.
- Resetti, the classic character from earlier Animal Crossing titles, returns with a new role — managing island cleaning and maintenance tasks.
The upcoming update arrives nearly six years after the game’s original 2020 launch. Animal Crossing: New Horizons became a cultural phenomenon during the global pandemic and remains the second-best-selling game on Nintendo Switch, with over 48 million copies sold worldwide — second only to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, which has sold 68.86 million units.
With the arrival of the Switch 2 Edition and the massive 3.0.0 update, Nintendo appears ready to breathe new life into one of its most successful modern franchises, ensuring that island life continues to thrive well into the next console generation.
