Nintendo is spoiling Animal Crossing fans: new free content is available for download for a limited time. And this is not a simple cosmetic bonus, but a little nod to the future of the license, while waiting for the big update planned for early 2026.
Since November 13, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can collect new new icons inspired by New Horizons. Nintendo has confirmed that these items will be available until December 1st, before being replaced with a new selection. At the same time, players are already discovering the first information on update 3.0 of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, expected on January 15, which will introduce completely free content.
How to download free Animal Crossing content on Switch
If you’re a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber, you can get three new exclusive icons right now. To do this, simply turn on your Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 console, then go to the “Missions and Rewards” section of the online service.
The available icons highlight characters much loved by the community: Timmy and Tommy Nook share the same sticker, while the other two represent Orville and Wilbur, the Dodo Airlines dodos. As Nintendo clarified: “The new icons feature Timmy and Tommy Nook together on one of them, while the other two feature Orville and Wilbur, the two dodos who run Dodo Airlines in New Horizons.”
A specialized account also reminded on Enough to enrich your personal collection, but be careful, these additions are temporary. As the company announced: “Nintendo has so far announced that these icons will be removed on December 1st; so there is still time.”
An ambitious and free 3.0 update for January
Alongside these little digital gifts, Nintendo is preparing a major update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. From January 15, 2026, all players will receive a free expansionwhether they have a classic Switch or the new Switch 2.
And the new developments are far from being anecdotal. The update will be “compatible with Nintendo Switch 2, offering 4K resolution and leveraging mouse controls for various features.” Multiplayer lobbies will accommodate up to 12 people, compared to 8 previously, and the Switch 2’s microphone can even be used as a megaphone to call the island’s inhabitants more quickly.
The free expansion also features “the new resort hotel, where you can decorate rooms according to specific themes.” That’s not all: “This update also features increased storage space, new dream worlds, and the ability to craft multiple items simultaneously.” Nintendo isn’t stopping there, adding “many new elements, including content inspired by The Legend of Zelda and LEGO.”