Many Animal Crossing fans were hoping that 2025 would finally bring news of the next new game in the series. Instead, we were treated to an unexpected but welcome update for New Horizons. Or really, two updates: the free 3.0 content patch with new things for all players, and the Switch 2 version of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Recently, ComicBook got a chance to preview gameplay for the new Switch 2 edition and the 3.0 content. Seeing it in action made one thing very clear: if you like decorating in New Horizons, the Switch 2 edition will be a game-changer.
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The Switch 2 edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is set to release on January 15th, 2026. For those who already own New Horizons for Switch, it will be a $5 upgrade. Or, it’s $64.99 for the full game. And if you like to put hours into making your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island look amazing, you’re going to want that upgrade. Using the Joy-Con 2 for decorating in New Horizons is the most compelling use of the mouse controls I’ve seen yet, and here’s why.
Switch 2 Controls Will Revolutionize Decorating in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
I am, admittedly, never one to build beautiful masterpieces in decorating games. I don’t want to talk about what my New Horizons island looks like. But in truth, part of my struggle is one that will be familiar to many Animal Crossing fans. The Switch controls for decorating have never allowed for much precision and control, making it tricky to move things around the way you want. Watching the Joy-Con 2 mouse controls in action, it’s clear that’s going to change with the Switch 2 edition.
The mouse controls let you grab and drag items after placing them, rather than simply plopping items down and hoping for the best. This lets you more easily and quickly drag items to where you want them, without the pick up and put down process that’s currently required. Better yet, you can multi-select items, making it easier to move or store many objects at once. After seeing it in action, I can tell that anyone who loves decorating in Animal Crossing is going to have a much better time with it on the Switch 2. Even I might actually try to make my island aesthetic for once.
Another big decorating perk of the Switch 2 edition also comes with the free update: dream islands. These islands let you finally experiment with decorating more than one space without going scorched earth on your main island. While this is available in the free 3.0 update for all players, having the mouse controls available on Switch 2 will really make it easier and faster to express your creativity in this new space.
The Free 3.0 Update Adds New Items to Collect, But Many Will Require Amiibo
If you love decorating but don’t yet have a Switch 2, there’s still something to look forward to on January 15th. The free 3.0 update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons will add some fun for those who enjoy decorating. In fact, you’ll get to decorate hotel rooms for various guests at the new hotel, which has its own inventory of items you can select to fit the theme of each guest’s room. While this will be easier with Switch 2 controls, it will be a fun way to use your decorating skills in a new way, regardless. Plus, you’ll earn the new Tickets currency by doing so, making it extra rewarding.
Those Tickets can be used to buy new decor items for anywhere on your islands. There are hotel-themed clothing and decoration items on offer, which give you even more options for changing up the look of your island or Dream Islands. The free update also adds plenty of themed collab items, but there is a bit of a catch here. The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon collab decor and costume collections can only be unlocked by scanning an eligible Amiibo. So, there’s a bit of a paywall there unless you already own the Amiibo. But for those who don’t collect the figures, there’s a LEGO and Nintendo Classic collection on offer as well, and those will be available to purchase with bells or tickets, no Amiibo required.
Between decorating the hotel rooms and your dream islands, the 3.0 update and Switch 2 version of Animal Crossing: New Horizons really lean into the decorating element of the game. Given that this is a beloved favorite for many fans, it’s exciting to see new features that will give players even more reasons to flex those creative muscles. The free update and Switch 2 upgrade will be available on January 15th, 2026.
Are you excited to have more precise decorating tools in New Horizons? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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