Animal Crossing: New Horizons Update Released, Adding New Reactions, Items, and More

Animal Crossing: New Horizons version 1.7.0 has been released for Nintendo Switch, and it brings with it a number of updates for fans to look forward to! Both Animal Crossing and the real-world have a lot of things to celebrate in February, and this latest update reflects that. Fans can expect to see in-game items based on Valentine's Day, "The Big Game," and Groundhog Day. While there won't be an in-game event to tie-in with any of these holidays, the Festivale celebration will be held on February 15th, and this update will set things up. Players will even get a free in-game item, too!

Nintendo's announcement for the new update can be found embedded below.

[Announcement]
The Animal Crossing: New Horizons free update for January is available now! Enjoy a range of new reactions, purchase new seasonal items, and get ready for feathers and festivities when the Festivale event begins on 2/15. pic.twitter.com/qKh7eoVsUy

— Isabelle (@animalcrossing) January 28, 2021

While the update is now live, fans will have to wait until February 1st to purchase some of the new items. On that day, Festivale clothing items will start to go on sale at the Able Sisters shop, and chocolate hearts and heart-shaped bouquets will be available in the store. Items related to "The Big Game" and Groundhog Day will be on sale in January and February, but Nintendo has not yet revealed specific details about what to expect, as of this writing.

For those unfamiliar with Festivale, the event sees the arrival of the character Pave, similar to other seasonal visitors like Franklin and Jingle. The event is centered around dancing and flying feathers, and players that catch them with their nets will be able to trade them to Pave in exchange for event-related items.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons released in March last year, so most of the major holidays have now been celebrated in the game. Nintendo has pledged to continue offering updates for the title, so it will be interesting to see what the future holds. Mario-themed items will arrive in the game in March, so it seems that fans will have plenty to keep them coming back for the foreseeable future!

Are you still playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons? What do you think of the Festivale event? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!