Even though support ended in November 2021, New Horizons is rising from the ashes on January 15th, 2026, when it launches on the Nintendo Switch 2. On top of that, Version 3.0 will be released for both Switch platforms, bringing tons of new content and features. Here are 15 things you should know before diving in.

4K in TV Mode

Animal Crossing: New Horizons finally makes the jump to 4K, showcasing your island, all its residents and various happenings in crisp higher resolution (while in TV mode, of course). However, it’s still capped at 30 frames per second, whether you’re playing docked or in handheld mode. Why? Well, there are many potential reasons why, but for now, if you’re used to the Switch 1 version’s frame rate, you should be right at home.

Mouse Controls

On the bright side, there’s mouse support with the right Joy-Con 2. You can finally decorate with all the freedom that a cursor allows, including dragging and selecting multiple items and moving them at once. Of course, that’s only the start – imagine making custom bulletin boards with the paint tools available, and even hand-writing messages for all to see.

12 Player Online Sessions

Ever been constrained by the arbitrary play limits on your island? The Switch 2 Edition is expanding on that, from eight players per session to a whopping 12. That may not seem like much (at least, for the regular island but we’ll get to that). And yet, there’s something nice about having so many people, just running around, admiring everything you’ve built.

CameraPlay

Of course, they don’t just have to admire it through words. Thanks to GameChat and CameraPlay, you can see their actual expressions above their characters’ heads. All for the low, low price of a Nintendo Switch Online subscription and the Switch 2 Camera.

Megaphone and Switch 2 Mic Support

When thinking about how else the Switch 2 version could leverage the console’s many features, someone at Nintendo conceived of an ingenious addition: A megaphone that uses the built-in mic. If you’ve ever wanted to shout at your residents for whatever reason, this is finally your chance. Oh, and it also helps to easily locate them.

Resort Hotel

All of the previously mentioned features are exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, but a free update, Version 3.0, will also be made available to Switch 1 players on the same day. It adds a brand new feature, the Resort Hotel, which welcomes guests from outside the island. You can help by decorating the guest rooms, selecting a theme and then filling them with the corresponding furniture and items. If a guest enjoys their stay, they’ll compliment your design skills.

Hotel Tickets and Souvenir Shop

Of course, the real appeal is the Hotel Tickets, doled out by Kapp’n for a job well done. These can then be exchanged at Grams’ Souvenir shop for new items, including hotel decorations, furniture, t-shirts, and much more. If you like a particular set of items and want to bring some of that resort comfort to your own home, this is quite literally the ticket.

Crafting Island Goods for Hotel Tickets

Tom Nook is a wily one, so of course, he wants to get involved in the Hotel Resort business. Fortunately, that only requires crafting island goods, including desks and wardrobes. Gathering the materials and crafting these bestows Hotel Tickets, so it’s well worth taking up a few tasks. And for those who have spare materials lying around, this is the perfect place to spend them.

Expanded Home Storage

With so many new items added, not counting the thousands already available, storage problems are inevitable. Thankfully, Version 3.0 lets you upgrade your home storage further. You can go from 5000 to 7000 and eventually 9000 slots for even more space. Better yet, it’s possible to store trees, shrubs and flowers, which pairs very well with another excellent new feature.

Resetti Service

So you’ve made a mess on your island and don’t want to clean it up. Cue Resetti’s new Reset Service, which will tidy up a specified location. If there are flowers or custom designs in the location, you can choose to leave them alone, store them away or get rid of them entirely. Alongside a single area, Resetti’s Reset can also be applied to the beach and the entire island if you want to start from scratch.

Slumber Islands

Dreams, as nifty as they were, could be a little too restrictive. In response, Nintendo is adding Slumber Islands, a blank space that becomes available while sleeping, which you can customize (including choosing small, medium and large sizes, each with different layouts and arrangements), terraform and decorate with any of your existing items. Adjust the time of day and weather, invite residents from your island and even visit other players’ Slumber Islands to collaborate. You can save up to three Slumber Islands, so decorate, build up and tear down to your heart’s content.

LEGO Items and Furniture

Remember when we mentioned tons of new items? That includes, for the first time, LEGO items. You can purchase beds, fireplaces, sofas, tables, T-shirts and even a LEGO DIY workbench via Nook Shopping. Deck out your home in LEGO-only items or mix and match with Resort Hotel furniture and existing items for a unique look.

The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon Collaboration

Even more items abound if you have amiibo for The Legend of Zelda or Splatoon. The former includes the Triforce, Master Sword and even outfits from across the series. You’ll also see Tulin from Breath of the Wild visiting the island, and they can settle down if you wish. As for Splatoon, a compatible amiibo sees Cece and Viché, based on Shiver and Frye, visiting your island, and various items based on the franchise, including Big Man chairs (which isn’t disturbing at all), can be purchased.

$5 Paid Upgrade for Switch 1 Owners

On the Nintendo Switch 2, Animal Crossing: New Horizons will cost $64.99, which may seem like a strange price. But that’s because those who own the Nintendo Switch 1 version can upgrade for $4.99, so the math checks out. Overall, even if you’re not upgrading to the Switch 2, there’s more than enough content in Version 3.0 to warrant revisiting the island, reconnecting with old friends and making some new ones along the way.

Switch 2 players benefit from 4K resolution in Docked mode at 30 FPS, mouse controls for writing on the bulletin board and crafting your own designs, and microphone support when you want to scream at your residents. It also supports up to 12 players in co-op and CameraPlay, if you must see each other’s faces while causing mischief.

As for the free update, it introduces the Resort Hotel. It includes new furniture and clothes for visiting guests while decorating dedicated rooms for them. Those with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription can also save three islands to play alongside friends. You can upgrade storage to hold 9,000 items (which now includes trees, shrubs and flowers) and even use the new Reset Service.

If that wasn’t enough, NSO members can also collect classic titles and play them. You can collect LEGO items and even take advantage of amiibo from The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon to invite “certain characters” with items tied to their appearances.

That’s up from 64.27 million sales in the last quarter. With a new Mario Kart on the horizon for the Nintendo Switch 2, it should be interesting to see if the current game’s sales take a hit. Nintendo teased the sequel in its reveal trailer for the console with 12 racers, a more open environment and a redesign for Donkey Kong.

Other notable first-party sales figures include Animal Crossing: New Horizon (47.44 million), Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (35.88 million), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (32.62 million) and Super Mario Odyssey (29.04 million). Check out the full top ten below, which includes not one but two sets of Pokemon titles.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is in second place with 46.45 million sales (from 45.85 million in the previous quarter). Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is in fourth place with 35.14 million units sold, followed by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at 32.29 million sales and Super Mario Odyssey at 28.50 million.

The only real change in rankings is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom at 21.04 million sales, finally passing 2018’s Super Mario Party (20.98 million units sold) for eighth place. Check out the top ten best-selling titles for the Nintendo Switch as of September 30th below.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

It’s safe to say that Nintendo knocked it out of the park with The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, knitting together a complex web of intertwining systems with mechanics that let you express your creativity to the fullest resulting in an experience like no other. It takes everything that worked in the original, and amps it up to eleven – be it Link’s powers, the size of the open world, or the many options for tackling a dungeon or boss fight. Despite a few technical hiccups owing to the hardware limitations, Tears of the Kingdom is easily one of the best games that you can experience on Nintendo’s hybrid handheld.

Other noteworthy figures include Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at 34.66 million sales, followed by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at 32.05 million and Super Mario Odyssey at 28.21 million. Among the recent releases are The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom at 20.80 million, which launched in May 2023.

Despite impressive figures over their respective lifetimes, Nintendo noted a 41.3 percent decrease in software sales for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2025. It sold 30.64 million software units for the Switch in that period, citing a lack of “special factors” compared to the same quarter last year.

Check out the top ten best-selling Nintendo Switch titles as of June 30th below, courtesy of Nintendo’s official site.

If taken together with the original Wii U release, Mario Kart 8’s lifetime sales sit at a whopping 70.43 million. Other noteworthy milestones include Animal Crossing: New Horizons at 45.36 million sales, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at 34.22 million and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild at 31.85 million.

As for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it’s sold 20.61 million since launching on May 12th for the Switch, up from the previous quarter’s 20.28 million. Check out the top ten highest-selling titles on the Nintendo Switch as of March 31st, 2024, below.

Meanwhile, Animal Crossing: New Horizons continues to post strong sales numbers as well. With over half a million units sold over the course of Q2 of FY 23/24 (July-September), the game now stands at a total of 43.38 million units sold. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate follows behind with 32.44 million units sold, while The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has sold 31.15 million units. You can check out the full top 10 below. 

Meanwhile, Nintendo has also confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has sold 19.5 million units worldwide, while Pikmin 4’s sales stand at 2.61 million units. 

Update hardware sales for the Nintendo Switch have also been revealed, with the console having sold 132.46 million units worldwide. 

Top 10 highest-selling first party Nintendo Switch titles (as of September 30, 2023):

For starters, the evergreen Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has continued to enjoy strong sales. With over 1.67 million units sold during Q1 (April-June) of FY 23/24, the kart racer now sits at 55.46 million units worldwide. Alongside The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, it was the only first party Nintendo title to sell over a million units over the course of the three-month period. 

Speaking of which, Tears of the Kingdom, which has sold over 18.5 million units as of June 30, has instantly entered the Switch’s first party top 10 as well, entering at No. 9 above New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe and pushing Ring Fit Adventure out of the top 10. Its predecessor, Breath of the Wild, has also enjoyed steady sales, and has now sold 30.65 million units, up from 29.81 million units as of the end of the previous quarter. 

Meanwhile, Animal Crossing: New Horizons now stans at 42.79 million units sold, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at 31.77 million units, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet at 22.66 million units. You can check out the full top 10 and their updated sales figures below. 

Nintendo has also announced that the Switch’s worldwide sales have surpassed 129.5 million units.

Top 10 highest-selling first party Nintendo Switch titles (as of June 30, 2023):

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is in second place with 42.21 million units sold, followed by Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at 31.09 million. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sold 29.81 million units, so it should be interesting to see how its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, fares. Pokemon Sword and Shield are in fifth with 25.82 million units sold.

Super Mario Odyssey sold 25.76 million, with the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie likely boosting sales over the quarter. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are at 22.10 million units sold, which is insane considering they were released in November 2022. Check out the full list below.