Home > Animal Crossing: New Horizons Gets a Free Update and Switch 2 Edition
Nintendo surprised us this morning by revealing a rather large update for Animal Crossing: New Horzions. There will be a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game as well as a free Version 3.0 update coming to both versions. The Switch 2 Edition (both physical and digital) and update will both be coming out on the same day on January 15, 2026.
The Switch 2 Edition will provide a resolution bump up to 4K. The game will still target 30 fps however. It will also support mouse controls which can be used to reorganize furniture, make designs, and write messages. There will also be a few new online features including support for GameChat and a camera, and up to 12 players during island visits. This version will run $65 or a $5 digital upgrade for existing owners.
The free 3.0 update is much more expansive, adding quite a bit of new content. The focal point is a new Resort Hotel run by the Kapp'n family where you can decorate rooms for visiting guests to earn exclusive items. The other major feature is an expansion of Slumber Islands, where you can create up to 3 new islands that you can mold in a creative mode.
Smaller features include an expansion of the home storage system, an island clean up service run by Resetti, and a number of collaborations with other series. These include items from both Zelda and Splatoon. In a throwback to the original Animal Crossing, you can also collect retro game systems that will let you emulate a select few classic Nintendo games.
It should be noted that the Happy Home Paradise DLC exists indepedently of this update and will not be included in the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game. It is still available for $25 or free for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members. Check out the lengthy trailer below for more details.
About the Author:
Rial Johnson
Rial Johnson founded Nintendo Castle in 2011 with hopes to build the largest collection of Nintendo walkthroughs, guides, and content on the web. He is an avid gamer with a special place in his heart for Nintendo, but often finds himself writing about games more than actually playing them. You'll likely see him around Nintendo Castle and on social media, mostly managing the front-end content of the site.
