Nintendo Updates Animal Crossing: New Horizons After 3 Years

Nintendo has just rolled out what might be the first update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons in nearly three years — and while it may not sound flashy, it's still a noteworthy moment for fans of the beloved life-sim game.

The May 27, 2025 update focuses on improving multiplayer compatibility between the original Nintendo Switch and the newly released Nintendo Switch 2. While the official patch notes are minimal, this tweak likely ensures smoother cross-play experiences, allowing players on both systems to visit each other’s islands without technical hiccups.

Though details remain light, this kind of backend maintenance is essential as Nintendo transitions to its next-gen console. It also confirms that Animal Crossing: New Horizons will run smoothly on the Switch 2, even though it won’t receive a dedicated "Switch 2 Edition" like titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Kirby and the Forgotten Land.

In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you’re invited to build your dream island paradise from the ground up. Whether you're crafting, fishing, or decorating with friends, the game remains one of the most relaxing and immersive experiences on the Switch platform. It continues to hold a spot on our list of the Top 25 Best Nintendo Switch Games in 2025, and our original review still stands strong — we awarded it a [ttpp]9[/ttpp], praising it as “an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game that's full of surprises.”