Nintendo Updates Animal Crossing: New Horizons After 3 Years

Surprise! Nintendo has just released Animal Crossing: New Horizons' first update in nearly three years.

This isn't a major content update—the patch notes simply state that the May 27 update "improved compatibility for multiplayer sessions between the Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch." Nevertheless, it represents the first backend refresh for the relaxing life-simulation game since November 2022.

The exact meaning of "improved compatibility" isn't fully detailed, but it likely involves minor adjustments to ensure players on the Switch 2 can seamlessly visit their friends' islands in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and vice versa.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be playable on the Switch 2. However, unlike titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Kirby and the Forgotten Land, it is not receiving a dedicated Switch 2 Edition. It should still be compatible for players picking up the new console next week, which is not the case for some other games known to have issues.

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you escape to a deserted island to build your own paradise. You can explore, create, and customize your private island community. The game was critically acclaimed, maintaining a spot on our Top 25 Best Nintendo Switch Games in 2025 list. In our review, we awarded it a score of 9, praising it as "an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo franchise that's full of delightful surprises."