How to update Animal Crossing New Horizons – Switch 2 and 3.0 update

It’s been a long time since I booted up Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but now is as good a time as any to return.

The 3.0 update for New Horizons is available now, and the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game is not far behind. The update adds new features like a hotel that you can decorate and host tourists in, and you can even add new Zelda and Splatoon-themed villagers if you have the proper Amiibo.

The update download for the new content is not readily apparent, so we’ve got the details on how to get your game up to date so you can face off with your lonely villagers who feel abandoned in stunning 4K resolution.

How to update Animal Crossing New Horizons

Image via Nintendo

To update to the 3.0 version and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons

• Download the game on your Switch or Switch 2.
• Press the + button on the Animal Crossing app from the Switch menu.
• Select “Software Update.”
• Select “Via the Internet.”
• Download the update.

The update download will begin, and once finished, you can access the 3.0 update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The Switch 2 Edition update is also applied if you pre-ordered it or bought the Upgrade Pack for $4.99, but it appears to be rolling out on a regional basis.

For example, the update became available in the morning hours of Jan. 14 in the US, but the Switch 2 Edition update (offering enhanced 4K resolution, mouse control support, GameChat support, 12 player co-op, and a megaphone feature) will become available on Jan. 15 alongside the full launch of the update.

When I try to play the paid Switch 2 Edition on my Switch 2, the game doesn’t recognize it quite yet because it’s not available in my region. This issue should subside once it becomes Jan. 15 in your region, at which point the Switch 2 Edition will be available.

But for now, you can play the new hotel and other gameplay features as part of the free 3.0 update as soon as you download it.

Animal Crossing – Switch 2 Edition vs. 3.0 update

Image via Nintendo

Here’s what’s included for free vs. what’s included in the $4.99 Switch 2 Edition upgrade:

• Nintendo Switch 2 Edition ($4.99)
  • 4K resolution
  • Mouse controls for decorating
  • A megaphone to call residents
  • GameChat support with Switch 2 camera
  • Support for 12-player multiplayer sessions
• Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 update (free)
  • A new hotel on the island
  • Slumber Island location
  • 100-plus new items to collect
  • New Villagers via Amiibo figures or cards
  • More

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