Nintendo has brought Animal Crossing: New Horizons back into the big time with a Switch 2 Edition and a free update to the base game.Both launch January 15, 2026, with preorders coming soon, Nintendo said.Here’s the official blurb:With enhanced resolution, mouse controls using the Joy-Con 2 controller, expanded online play, and more features exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2, players can get even more out of the island life in Animal Crossing: New Horizons — Nintendo Switch 2 Edition! Plus, a free update is coming to Animal Crossing: New Horizons for players on both Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch to enjoy. The free update includes a new resort hotel, additional amiibo functionality, collaboration items, updates to online play, and more.We can't wait for you to see everything new on the island January 15, 2026! Nintendo Switch 2 players who already have Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch can upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition by purchasing the upgrade pack. Most fans had accepted that Nintendo had left Animal Crossing: New Horizons behind, despite it being the second best-selling game on Switch with an enormous 48.19 million units sold. Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched in March 2020 and benefited from play-at-home gaming fueled by lockdowns, but Nintendo failed to capitalize on its popularity with significant DLC throughout the last five years. IGN's Animal Crossing: New Horizons review returned a 9/10. We said: "Animal Crossing: New Horizons is an expanded, polished, next-generation reboot of a classic Nintendo game that's full of surprises."Developing…Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.