Animal Crossing: New Horizons' Next Update Arrives Later This Week

Yup, that sounds like a new ACNH update alright. No surprises here

Makes me think the highly wanted stuff like Brewster would be announced at E3 for release in a fall/winter update.

Nothing here to be too excited about. I'd like to see something significant added to the game, like Brewster and gyroids.

I played New Leaf for YEARS...New Horizons is just dead and dull to me...I tried very hard to stay interested and keep it going, but I haven't played it in a couple of months now. Boring that the visiting others has been made ridiculously difficult

Wow, this is...sad. The fact that they list the bug-offs and fishing tourneys like it's new is just an insult to injury. Let's hope E3 has something at least remotely exciting for AC.

Actually makes me glad I quit playing at the 1 year anniversary. If they ever add anything substantial I’d return, but this is almost identical to last year.

People say that this game never adds anything new. Did past games constantly add new things, even 2+ years later?

Ooooh, I really enjoyed the May Day event last year. I was just a little bit choked when we only get 1 maze for the week, instead of one for each day of the event.
Otherwise it kinda drags for the whole week.
Something for you to consider, Nintendo, or Did you forget about Tortimer Island's Mystery Tours in New Leaf?

a new island, but it's still a maze where you find rover? i love this game, but it's dead as far i'm concerned. unless they are planning some big update, i'm over it

@Toads-Friend I’m in the same boat. I logged hundreds of hours in New Leaf. This was great while working towards some goals but after the initial thing I find it hard to go back. No doubt New Horizons pushed the series forward but not sure if it was quite enough especially since lots of cool things are still missing.

@RupeeClock I'm sure they planned and designed this game for the player to experience everything in the span of 1 year, but i think they are missing a huge opportunity. I would buy all kinds of dlc for this if it meant i was getting new experiences every month or two

Don’t get me wrong, the game is amazing and it kept me playing an entire year, which no game I’ve ever played before has done. If they want to rehash the same content going forward and move on, I’m fine with that. But due to the popularity of this game I thought they might try harder to keep players engaged once the first year ended.

Dull update is dull. Oh well.

@Alienfreaks04 Someone else already replied, but it can't be said enough: the previous games had pretty much multiple times the content at launch compared to New Horizons.
Sure, it added cool stuff like terraforming and the ability to place furniture outside, but that's it. It's missing multiple features, characters, furniture, clothes, and stuff like that. Even the crafting system feels motly like added busywork. It also seems like there are many more options for clothes, but it's actually just that they added some new colors to existing clothes.
Sure, they re-added some features and items in the past year, but to be honest, if the game came out like this, it would feel a bit lacking compared to New Leaf.

yes, after the initial few months for me, this was very subpar to new leaf, and I also really still love the original GC 'population growing'.

New Horizons got so dull for me, I went and bought City Folk for Wii to cover my new Animal Crossing feels!!

@Toads-Friend new leaf is still a better game.
I started a new town about 1 month ago and have been enjoying it emmensly. The single thing New Horizons has over new leaf is terra-forming.

I still play every day and enjoy it. They still should put a little more effort into these updates. The biggest want for me is better dialogue and interaction from the villagers. I get the same letters every week. The villagers say the same thing every time I talk to them. Very annoying.

I'm currently on my second ACNH burnout break - even though I picked it up briefly yesterday, but after having got back into Stardew in a massive way, the glacial pace and the sheer lack of QoL features was all the more apparent. I would love to get back into it, but only if they implement stuff like batch crafting and more efficient building/terraforming.

@RupeeClock it's both imo. lack of new content, however you wanna slice it. new store upgrade, characters, minigames, events, whatever form that takes.

So, if there will be the wedding season dedicated to Cyrus and Reese in June, does that mean they got divorced in a year?

@Yorumi

Hardly. It just confirms they aren't adding any of the "missing" content at the moment.

Cheese Rolling items!!! YES!!

Really thought year two would have brought in a lot more new content. New furniture sets to collect, new characters, more creatures to catch, the missing fruits, extending the house further/making the side rooms larger.

I mean I've got nearly 300 hours out of it so I can't complain.

@ArtiomNLS They're renewing their vows!

oh nice another disapointing update for Animal Crossing New Horizons, i expected at least something good for the 2.0 update.

@Ogbert Maybe. Or they got divorced. Although your opinion fits more with New Horizons' wholesome spirit.

Looks like I can safely continue to ignore this. Haven't found a reason to pick this up since last year.

O Brewster, Where Art Thou?

I am still playing ACNH daily. I know everyone is saying it has less content but for whatever reason NH has more lasting appeal to me than NL, as in I have been finding I still enjoy playing NH a year later but for some reason NL started to feel like a chore sooner. I can't quite put my finger on why that is. I do agree that this announcement of an update is rather disappointing though since there is nothing really new to experience. It's hard to know at this point if they will be doing something more substantial in the future or if it will just be more of the same kind of updates from here on in.

That just sounds like a repeat of last year's events which is a shame. I was hoping for something more substantial for the 2nd year.

These disappointing updates are really bringing this game down. D: NH has the potential for greatness, but Nintendo is not even trying at this point. =(

Its not really an update, its just what we had last year nothing new. I mean repeated events on holidays is expected so this isnt an update to me.

my god theyre even repeating the wedding event. are seasonal items the only new things we'll be getting now, or are they just gonna wait another year or 2 for new events? i just dont understand why luna, redd, and lief are the only substantial characters they brought back for the island updates

Thats real low

New twists? but they are the same as last year!

Another garbage update

@Northwind Honestly I think that's why Splatoon 3 was announced in February rather than at E3 2021 or in a September 2021 Direct.

To all folks last year who defended this content-poor game last year, I do hope you see that there is NO defending it this year. Your parroting of "they said they will add lots in updates for years!!", with the exception of short and rather insignificant items/events, was based on the premise that NINTENDO (these days) would not take any opportunity to cut corners assuming we will buy whatever they sell regardless of quality.

As it stands, not being able to find (after over a year of playing) a stupid seasonal cherry blossom recipe after grinding/farming balloons for DAYS (like all day, everyday), and then not getting a significant expansion by now has finally gotten me to shutter my ACNH game. A game I played actually every day without fail since launch! I'm done! With no new goals to work towards or spend my millions upon millions of bells (just from casually playing with nothing to buy anymore) on, its been a very boring routine and seasonal recipe panic for too long.

I’m glad these events are returning for those who haven’t played them, and I’m still hopeful a BIG update with fresh new content is on the way later this year. Just got to keep fingers crossed for a trailer at E3!

Why do they hates us?

i might go back to playing for a few of these, since i miss out on them last year.
but, this is a pretty weak update to say the least.

Cheeeeeeeeeese!

Good for those who might have missed out last year. As for everyone else... 😕

Wow this is worse than I expected.

Not the wedding season AGAIN. I've never been through so much torture for a fictional plate...

I remember when these updates added meaningful content to the game

Ugh, I really hope that the upcoming updates aren’t all like this. NH isn’t even close to the amount of content and depth of NL, and I’ve been optimistic about it. Let’s hope that we get something substantial as a late spring/summer update.

I've lost all hope. I'm not playing this anymore. I stopped because it lacked what I hoped it would get.

It’s a Fantastic game! And I highly recommend it to anyone! But to the Day 1 players like myself, we definitely need new updates, activities, items, and more adventures! It’s still fun, and I still play it when I get time.

I've played New Leaf again last week for the first time in 5.5 years and wow... I knew New Horizons was missing content, but it had totally escaped me just how much was excised!

The fact that so many NPCs have gone from having their own stores/buildings in previous games to being demoted to plaza visitors is just sad. Maybe even devote a separate island for some of these facilities like the Wii installment, where we had to travel via bus to access such facilities (GracieGrace/the auction site etc.). They give Harv his own island for a feature I'd wager most players don't care about, but not for beloved long-standing characters?

Sahara, Kicks (my chum!), Katrina, Label/Gracie, Brewster, Leif, and Redd should all have their own dedicated stores. It's ridiculous that you'd need to play the game constantly for Redd to even spawn once per FORTNIGHT (if that!). I miss the days when encountering Redd every Thursday was a sure thing. And instead of the HHA sending annoyingly superfluous letters every week, they should have just given Lyle his own building like in New Leaf so that we can seek an appraisal whenever we damn well felt like it.

And why isn't Pete roaming the island to each day? They could have used him to distribute postage themed items to early birds, for example. And why have Pelly and Phyllis been replaced by a bloody postcard stand?! Why has Harriett been replaced by a generic customisation screen? Why haven't the trailers from New Leaf: Welcome Amiibo made a return? Amiibo cards ought to be FLYING off the shelves, but so many of them are practically useless in New Horizons beyond inviting specific villagers to live on the island. They should have enabled the figurines to do more than merely unlock posters. I understand that they were originally released for Amiibo Festival on Wii U, but who the hell really were buying them for that?

And where, oh, where are the Nook's Cranny upgrades at?!

I'm, too, disappointed with the updates, yet I can't but find if funny. It is such a Nintendo move it's almost ridiculous. Make something almost great, and then... never deliver on the obvious. Forlders & themes? Nope. VC on Switch? Nope. Mario Kart or Mario Party DLC? Nope.

With the amount of money it's made them — both in ACNH and Switch sales — I find it incredibly hard to believe they couldn't just hire a bunch of talent to work on expanding the world. Never mind the huge updates. Just having a steady stream of content without much fanfare would be so, so beneficial. Just small background updates.

Like, why not hire a writer to write new lines for the characters? A couple people working on new clothes daily would mean at least several hundred new designs a year. Some items are interactive, while others are not. Why not keep adding? Give me the ability to ride a scooter one week, then kick a ball next week, then something else, like an animation to drink tea.

A years work like this would've made the the game 10 times better. But Nintendo is being Nintendo again, alas!

@peppermillian Wouldn't say fans are entitled for wanting more content in a game that's devoid of said content. New Horizons is 60 dollars, and yet has less content than a 30 dollar 3Ds game. Not to mention, the updates this year have been pathetic, and it's just driving more and more people away. More fans of the series are slowly starting to realize that this game is lacking compared to the original entries.

We're never getting new NPCs or buildings are we? Horribly disappointing. Probably my least favorite Animal Crossing at this point.

The game was over for me after I bought Stardew Valley for one fifth of the price but experienced so much more gameplay and storylines.

@pinta_vodki
They could taket inspiration from the work of the staff behind the mobile game AC Pocket Camp.
Almost four years after it launched they still produce new stuff: clothes, furniture, environments, animals and even things that the animals interact with. There is a mini Happy Homes game, a gardening game, a gyroid hunt game , fortune cookies and more.
Yes, that IS how they make money but it is not close to how much money AC:NH is making.
I have played it on and off over the years without paying anything and obtaining almost everything there is.

@gokev13 Well friend, your post is one of the very few positive posts on this thread--I want to agree with you!

I still play almost everyday. I am content with what there is. I play other games for excitement, I play other games for story lines, I play other games for other reasons.

I play Animal Crossing to chill out. I walk around the island, do a few things. Once in a while I get an idea for a terraform or a room make over. But it is a chill, happy place for me.

Over the year I have played more than a dozen other games: Spiritfarer, Shantae, Need for Speed, Ori and the Will o Wisps. Those games are great for what they are. Likewise, New Horizons is great for what it is.

@pinta_vodki said "It is such a Nintendo move it's almost ridiculous. Make something almost great, and then... never deliver on the obvious. Forlders & themes? Nope. VC on Switch? Nope. Mario Kart or Mario Party DLC? Nope."

Spot on. I really want to like today's Nintendo, but they seem completely out of touch. Especially since Doug Bowser and what's-his-name in Japan.

@Grumblevolcano I'm convinced that it's never happening. Nintendo has lost its soul and the people working on New Horizons only produces crap

@dugan Thanks for agreeing, sometimes I feel like I'm one of the few who actually appreciate the games Nintendo makes these days. Though some people think my enjoyment of the games Nintendo has been making is a problem because then Nintendo is justified in continually making what they see as underdeveloped and unfinished games. Sure every game has flaws and New Horizons has some as well but as I mentioned the things New Horizons has to offer checks a lot of boxes for me. Filling the museum was always one of my favorites and the museum is great this time around. Being able to decorate and change the whole island is another thing that has been another great addition and I enjoy father materials and recipes and crafting stuff which is another reason I love this iteration.

I guess the stuff people are saying is missing must not be what I like about AC games because I don't really care about gyroids, or what a lot of the shops had to offer and locations had to offer in New Leaf. I mean I would welcome the Roost for instance but it's absence doesn't break the game for me or anything. I like and enjoy the game. Yes if things like the paintings and diving didn't get added this year I probably would have got tired of it sooner but it's there and I actually appreciated that stuff like that came layer because I really vibe with the slowly play through Animal Crossing over a long period of time mentality and not the play for hours at a time and time travelling to get everything the game offers as soon as possible mentality. I do hope we get a few more substantial additions though, a place to play mini games together would be great, especially now that you can play local multiplayer on one switch, and I wouldn't even mind if something like that was paid DLC as long as it was done well and I mean mini games that are more creative than who can catch the most fish or bugs in a time limit.

I don't know, maybe my brain is just wired the same way as the people who are making decisions for this game is. I like what I like and a lot of Nintendo games have always just met what I want out of video games. I definitely see a lot more to like in ACNH than I dislike so why complain?

@Alienfreaks04 the other games were complete. this game was missing features from the beginning and we all bought it anyway in good faith. how is it that the game has been out an entire year and we can only upgrade the nook store once? why are we still missing characters? why do our villagers lack interactions theyve had in other games? even the newer features need to be improved. bulk crafting and buying multiple items from the able store are kind of important quality of life updates they really should have just had from the start. ppl are upset bc they bought an unfinished game and expected it to progress with each update and while the seasonal events are neat id rather just have a whole animal crossing game.

@gokev13 Thanks for the reply, you and I must be "wired the same way" because I agree with every thing you posted.

Of course we all have things we wished were in the game.

But I still marvel at terraforming and crafting: we are able to make our dioramas, our personalized expressions of an ideal island. All art has limitations, and it is what we do with the limitations that reveals our creativity.

Thanks for posting, gokev13, I appreciate your words!

@dugan
Hey no problem, if I have something positive to say I try and get it out there, especially when I keep seeing a bunch of negative opinions. Not saying people aren't entitled to those opinions or that they don't have valid reasons for being disappointed in certain games. I just want to bring something positive to the conversation as well.

Thanks for replying and for your thoughts as well. It does seem like we do indeed think alike. 😃

Okay, I've been playing since last May. Where's my favorite coffee barista? Why are new updates really not that interesting? Let us have the ability to craft multiple items, change it up a bit, I am not looking forward to May Day. Prom night and the other few updates they have shared, were not that great. Swimming takes forever.

Let us have pets that are not confined to a small tank. Let us interact with the items that are for display purposes only. I want to ride a bike around my island. I want a dog. Why are silly items like kitty litter and doghouses made available to us if we have no pets?

Then, there's the Sanrio thing. I have to buy an Ambiibo set to gain access to new characters, why ?

(Side note: I may be complaining a whole lot but I think these updates I mentioned are or would be so much more worth downloading than the past ones we have had so far. Seriously, what even was the point of the "Festivale ", "Turkey Day", etc? )
I see a lot of people get "burned out " from the game due to a series of repetitive events. My sister was one of them. She woke up one day and was like, "not playing for months and then seeing a rando player on my Newsfeed looking to buy x, y feels unreal..."

@Wordbonder seriously ! Like I did those events in rapid succession for NMT.