Animal Crossing New Horizons 3.0 update set to arrive for Nintendo Switch 2 on January 15

Nintendo will release a free 3.0 update for Animal Crossing New Horizons on January 15, 2026, with an optional paid Switch 2 upgrade that adds 4K and expanded multiplayer.

A free 3.0 update for Animal Crossing New Horizons is scheduled to arrive on January 15, 2026, and will be available for both the original Nintendo Switch and the Switch 2. The update introduces a hotel feature and a new dream island mode that allows creative terraforming. Nintendo is also offering an optional paid Switch 2 upgrade that adds higher-resolution output and expanded multiplayer support. The article notes Nintendo typically releases updates around 10AM JST, which corresponds to about 1AM GMT, and the patch is expected to go live globally at that time. Key details: - The free 3.0 update is reported to be released on January 15, 2026. - The update adds a new hotel building that players will furnish to themed requirements. - A new dream island creative mode will let players terraform up to four different islands. - An optional paid Switch 2 upgrade is reported to add 4K resolution and support for up to 12 players in multiplayer. - Nintendo typically issues updates around 10AM JST (around 1AM GMT), and this update is expected to be available globally at that time. - A physical Switch 2 edition will be released with the 3.0 patch pre-installed, and the patch size has not been confirmed (the previous large update was about 3.4GB). Summary: The 3.0 update brings new content and a creative mode to a long-running title, while offering Switch 2 users optional enhancements for higher resolution and larger multiplayer sessions. The update is scheduled for January 15, 2026, with an expected global rollout around 10AM JST (about 1AM GMT). Patch size is unconfirmed at this time and distribution details are reported as above.