Animal Crossing: New Horizons is officially getting a major Nintendo Switch 2 update and new content drop, on 15 January 2026. The surprise announcement confirms an array of features, including many fan-requested ones, will arrive for all players, providing plenty of new reasons to jump into the game.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons 2026 update – quick links
What the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade pack includes
The first part of this update is a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which will introduce a new, smoother 4K resolution, mouse controls, the ability to create custom posts for the bulletin board, a megaphone item to corral your friends while playing online, and the option to play with up to 12 players online.
In addition, players will be able to use GameChat to hang out together, and their faces will appear on-screen in little bubbles.
All of these upgrades will be part of a special Nintendo Switch 2 Edition release which will be available for standalone purchase, as well as being separate DLC. In Australia, the upgrade will cost just AUD $8.00 – one of the cheapest paid Switch 2 upgrades yet.
Everything new coming to Animal Crossing: New Horizons
On the same date as the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition launch, Animal Crossing: New Horizons will also get a free update that introduces new Nintendo crossover items, a Lego collaboration, new villagers, and a range of gameplay tweaks.
First up, the most exciting part of the update – Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting new collectible items inspired by Nintendo history, as well as The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon. In a new hotel location (more on this shortly) you’ll be able to purchase various new items, such as the Nintendo Switch 2, Famicom, NES, Game Boy, and more.
Anyone with a Nintendo Switch Online membership will be able to play classic games when they interact with these machines, which is a very neat touch.
If you own any Zelda amiibo, you’ll be able to tap them to your Nintendo Switch to earn various Zelda-themed cosmetics and furniture. Tulin and Mineru, villagers inspired by the Zelda franchise, will also be able to come visit you after tapping certain amiibo.
Amiibo from the Splatoon series will also unlock Cece and Viché as villager visitors, and there will be a special Splatoon collaboration that sees new items inspired by the franchise arriving in the shops.
An additional collaboration with Lego will see a variety of Lego-themed items arriving in the game, including a Lego fireplace, bed, arcade game, workbench, partition, sofa, table, and more.
New and returning game features arrive in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Beyond these cool crossover items, Animal Crossing: New Horizons will also get major new gameplay features in this update, including the return of Luna and her dream worlds. When you fall asleep, you’ll have the option to enter a dream world – an empty island – that you can decorate as you like.
There’s three empty islands to transform in total, and you can invite your friends to join your dream worlds, too.
Notably, this feature was originally available in the Nintendo 3DS game Animal Crossing: New Leaf – although it was discontinued in 2024 after online support for the game was pulled. It’s nice to see the feature get new life on Nintendo Switch.
Mean mole Resetti is also back with this new update, now working as a landscaper. He can ‘reset’ any plot of land, or your entire island, for a fresh start.
There is also a new resort hotel to visit, run by Kapp’n’s family. Here, you can work on attracting guests by decorating special rooms (determined by a theme), as well as offer ‘rental outfits’ to guests, to ‘brighten up their stay’.
Elsewhere, the new update will also increase the number of items you can store.
Based on the reveal trailer, this is a significant update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, providing plenty of reasons to visit or revisit the game.
