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Animal Crossing: New Horizons begins 2026 with its first major update in years. Nintendo has announced that the 3.0 update and the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game will launch simultaneously, offering the technical upgrades and new content for both newcomers and veterans.
Although the game first launched back in March 2020, New Horizons is one of Nintendo’s most played games to date. The next update will look to build on this, giving the game new legs while also smoothing out the experience on Nintendo’s new hardware.
Release date
Nintendo has officially announced that Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 and the Switch 2 Edition will both release on January 15, 2026.Both versions release the same day:
- The Switch 2 Edition will have visual upgrades and more robust online play
- The 3.0 update will be free and accessible to anyone on the original Nintendo Switch
The Switch 2 Edition will come with a bump in resolution, reportedly up to 4K, as well as an increase in online multiplayer support to a max of 12 players, versus a cap of eight on the original system.
New content overview
Players on all platforms will gain access to new gameplay features, including:
- A Resort Hotel with fully customisable rooms
- New crafting tasks tied to special island goods
- Expanded storage capacity
- Collaboration items themed around LEGO, Nintendo, The Legend of Zelda, and Splatoon
These additions are designed to provide long-term activities rather than short seasonal events.
Expected unlock times
Nintendo has yet to announce a specific time the content will unlock worldwide. However, judging by prior major updates, the content will likely be live for the evening of January 14 in North America to coincide with the Japanese January 15 release.
Estimated start times by region:
- Pacific Time: 6:00 PM — January 14
- Central Time: 7:00 PM — January 14
- Eastern Time: 8:00 PM — January 14
- Greenwich Mean Time: 1:00 AM — January 15
- Australian Eastern Time: 12:00 PM — January 15
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