Announced for January 15, 2026, patch 3.0 of Animal Crossing: New Horizons marks the big return of the life simulation game on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
After marking the period of confinement with its gentleness and creativity, Nintendo’s title seemed to have been put aside since 2021. But with this major and free update, the publisher is completely relaunching the dynamics of the game. It will offer hours of new and exciting content for players.
A hotel, LEGO and an island dedicated to sleep
This version 3.0 brings several highly anticipated new features: a resort hotel for your visitors, an expansion of home storage, a “reset” system, and above all, official collaborations with LEGO and The Legend of Zelda.
A new area called “Sleep Island” will also appear. It should offer a dreamlike experience in its own right, with gameplay oriented towards relaxation and exploration.
Free Switch Rewards: How to Get Them Right Now
To celebrate this announcement, Nintendo is offering a series of free rewards today. These are exclusive icons for your Nintendo Switch profile, featuring iconic characters like Goldie, Ruby or Skye.
Owners of the game can go to their Nintendo Switch Online profile, then navigate to the “Missions & Rewards” tab to discover a new Animal Crossing-related mission.
You only need to launch the game once to be able to exchange your points for these new icons. These cost between 5 and 10 platinum coins, a virtual currency that you have probably already accumulated through your purchases or gaming sessions.
Until January 6 only: pay attention to the time limit
The event is available until January 6, 2026 at 1:59 a.m. (Paris time). After this date, the icons will no longer be accessible.
If you’ve put your island aside for some time, now is the perfect time to dive back into the adventure. These simple but nice cosmetic bonuses mark the start of a highly anticipated revival for the series.