Out of nowhere, Nintendo has announced Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 Edition, which will be an enhanced version of the Switch game. Original Switch owners will not miss out on too much, as Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be getting a free content update. Both the Switch 2 Edition and the free update are scheduled to release on 15th January 2026.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 Edition will feature enhanced resolution to improve the game’s graphics, which you would expect from this release. Additionally Joy-Con 2 mouse controls will be available to use to decorate and move items around, create custom designs, and write messages on the bulletin board. Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 Edition gets a new item in the form of a megaphone and this can be used to call the other island residents using the Switch 2’s in built microphone. On the online side of things, up to 12 players can meet up in the Switch 2 version of the game, and that includes speaking with everyone on GameChat – local wireless is still limited to 8 players, though.
The free update that will come to both versions of Animal Crossing: New Horizons will add a resort hotel run by Kappn’s family, and your role is to help decorate the rooms to draw visitors to the island. Once a room is decorated you will get hotel tickets that can be used to exchanged for items in the hotel shop – it’s basically Happy Home Paradise DLC, but a free Hotel-based version.
Some amiibos will also be compatible and those characters can be invited as guests to the hotel. Legend of Zelda and Splatoon amiibo will be compatible with game, adding new items to the game. Tom Nook is getting on the action too, wanting to sell island goods to the visitors. That means you will need to find resources to craft these items and get hotel tickets in exchange for them.
A quality of life update within the overall update will allow players to increase storage capacity from 5000 items to 9000 items, and you will be able to store flowers. Resetti will be available to clear up items that you do not want on display, and they can be put in storage to reuse at a later date. The action does not stop when your character goes to sleep. When they hit the hay they can be transported to Luna’s dream world which takes players to Slumber Island. Slumber Island can be decorated in whatever you want, terraform the environment, add bridges, change the time and weather, and add residents. Players can have up to three islands and choose from small, medium, and large sized islands. Players can be invited to each other’s islands and work together on making changes. There will be additional crossover items including consoles, and those who have a Switch Online membership will be able to play games on those consoles. There is also a collaboration with LEGO which will bring LEGO items into the game.
Nintendo has confirmed that those who own Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Switch will be able to purchase an upgrade pack to the Switch 2 version and that costs £4.19 according to Nintendo’s store.
Source: YouTube
