Nintendo Updates Animal Crossing After 3 Years

Surprise! Nintendo has just rolled out the first update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons in nearly three years.

While not a massive overhaul—the patch notes simply state the May 27 update "improved multiplayer session compatibility between the Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch"—this marks the first backend refresh for the cozy life sim 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 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Kirby and the Forgotten Land, it won't receive a dedicated Switch 2 Edition. It should still work for players picking up the new console next week, unlike certain titles known to have compatibility issues.

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you escape to a deserted island to craft your personal paradise, exploring, creating, and customizing your own private island community. We cherished our time with it, and it remains featured on our Top 25 Best Nintendo Switch Games in 2025 list. In our review, we awarded it a 9, praising it as "an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game that's full of surprises."