Animal Crossing: New Horizons is coming to Switch 2 with a free update

It’s official. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is sailing into the next generation with a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition landing January 15, alongside a free update that promises to make island life smoother, brighter, and just a bit more luxurious.

Whether you’ve been tending flowers since lockdown or just dreaming of your first tent, this update feels like Nintendo reminding us that comfort never goes out of style. The new edition packs sharper 4K visuals in TV mode, smoother animations, and a few clever tricks that make the Switch 2 hardware feel right at home.

Also, the right Joy-Con 2 doubles as a motion cursor for interior design and custom art, and there’s even a megaphone that lets you literally call for your favorite villager through the built-in mic.

For the social butterflies, online play is getting a lift too. Now, up to twelve players can share a single island, and a new feature called CameraPlay lets friends plug in a USB camera to see each other’s real-time reactions while exploring together. The whole thing sounds a little chaotic, a little wholesome, and exactly what Animal Crossing should be.

Nintendo Switch 2 becomes fastest-selling console ever

Careful inventory planning, strong early demand, and meaningful hardware upgrades helped Switch 2 hit the milestone.

TechloyEmmanuel Oyedeji

The Switch 2 Edition launches at $64.99, available in both digital and physical formats. And for those who already own the original game, Nintendo is offering a $4.99 paid upgrade pack, available for pre-order starting today on the My Nintendo Store and Nintendo eShop. But the real treat is that the free update will drop on January 15 for both the original and Switch 2 versions.

Kapp’n’s family is also back, opening a Resort Hotel on the pier where you can decorate guest rooms, meet travelers, and collect themed souvenirs. Mr. Resetti finally returns, not to yell this time, but to help you tidy up with his new Reset Service. Plus, storage now expands to 9,000 items, meaning fewer hard choices between keeping your trees or your furniture.

Nintendo Switch Online members also get Slumber Island, a new shared space where players can build up to three dream islands and collaborate in real time. It’s a gentler take on multiplayer—creative, quiet, and deeply personal.

Nintendo Switch 2 is now available globally—here’s where to buy and how much it costs

Getting one might be hard, but here are a few retailers that still have it in stock.

TechloyKelechi Edeh

For collectors, this update could be a crossover paradise. Expect Nintendo-themed furniture like the Ultra Hand and classic consoles that actually work in-game, plus new LEGO® sets and amiibo tie-ins from Zelda and Splatoon that unlock themed characters and décor.

Nintendo also confirmed a handful of technical improvements under the hood: user interface optimizations, a Steam Deck-style graphics preset for the Switch 2, updated AMD FSR 3.1.4, and fixes for various bugs, including a pesky audio glitch from the “Eternal Blue Sky” mission and crashes related to Steam Input.

The takeaway

Nintendo is proving once again that Animal Crossing isn’t just a game; it’s a world that keeps growing with its players. The Switch 2 update blends nostalgia, innovation, and community, the exact formula that’s kept this franchise a cultural comfort zone for more than two decades.

Hori’s new Switch 2 controller lets you stop accidental pauses and screenshots

The $54 Horipad Turbo drops some premium perks but adds one feature even Nintendo’s controller forgot.

TechloyEmmanuel Umahi