Animal Crossing: New Horizons took the world by storm in 2020, as the global pandemic pushed people to find a virtual refuge when lockdowns kept them at home. Many people spent hundreds of hours building their dream island and visiting their friends, and for some, it was their introduction to the world of gaming. As of June 30, 2025, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is second on Nintendo’s list of top-selling first-party titles on the Switch, having sold 48.19 million units. That sits behind Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s massive 68.86 million, a record that will likely not be touched for a very long time.
If you’ve been waiting for Nintendo to announce a new Animal Crossing game for the Switch 2, you’re going to have to wait a bit longer. Today, Nintendo revealed Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, priced at $64.99 if you don’t already own the game, or $4.99 for the upgrade pack. It launches on January 15, 2026, alongside a massive free update for all players that adds a new resort hotel run by Kapp’n’s family, new themed items, and more.
Those looking to revisit their island on the Switch 2 can look forward to improved resolution, including 4K in TV mode, mouse controls for decorating, creating Custom Designs, and composing bulletin board messages, and the ability to locate residents by calling their names using the in-game megaphone and the Switch 2’s built-in microphone. Online play has also been upgraded to support up to 12 players if everyone is playing the Switch 2 Edition, and there will be CameraPlay support. Unfortunately, the frame rate remains capped at 30 fps, though if ever there were a game that doesn’t need 60 fps, it’s Animal Crossing.
The bigger news is free update version 3.0, which all players will have access to. This adds a resort hotel on the pier, run by Kapp’n’s family, where players can help out by decorating guest rooms and more. This earns them tickets, which can be used to purchase new furniture, clothing, and more at the souvenir shop. If you’re like me and haven’t visited your island in years, you’ll want to call upon the services of Resetti. This NPC has a convenient Reset Service that helps clean up your island, so you can get a fresh start. The update will also increase home storage to 9,000 items, and players will now be able to store trees, shrubs, and flowers.
If you want even more islands to customize, the update adds Slumber Island, and players with a Nintendo Switch Online membership can design and save up to three islands and play with friends online. For each Slumber Island, players can choose the size and layout of the island, access their full inventory to decorate, and invite residents from their home island. You’ll need all the space, too, because a bunch of new items and decorations are being added. Some of these are part of collaborations, like LEGO items, while using select The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon series amiibo will invite certain characters to the island and unlock various items inspired by those series. Yes, Mineru can now live on your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island. Lastly, Nintendo Switch Online members can play select classic Nintendo titles in-game by interacting with certain Nintendo console items.
Given that this is launching in early 2026, it’s probably safe to assume that we won’t hear word of a new Animal Crossing title until 2027 at the earliest. Even if you don’t own a Switch 2, the free update is a sizable one that can keep you busy for another 100 hours. Or maybe 1,000; we’re not judging.
