Although Animal Crossing: New Horizons got a major update and Switch 2 Edition at the start of 2026, questions are once again being asked about its future.
Variety recently spoke to Nintendo of America's vice president Reiko Ninomiya about the plans for New Horizons (and the series in general going forward), and while she appreciates the question, perhaps unsurprisingly, the team doesn't have "anything to announce" right after the latest update.
"Looking ahead to the future of “Animal Crossing: New Horizons,” on a granular level, Ninomiya is “super excited because insects are gonna start coming out as the weather warms up,” and she’s a big fan of the Bug-Off event. But other than that, she’s remaining tight-lipped about larger updates to come and the potential for new “Animal Crossing” games, saying: “I totally appreciate that question, but we don’t have anything to announce."
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Even though this update somewhat refreshes the experience, you could argue the 2020 Switch entry is starting to show its age, especially after the recent release of the Switch 2's new relaxing life-sim (and mega hit) Pokémon Pokopia.
In saying this, Nintendo says the update has delivered a positive outcome for New Horizons - with an increase in the number of people revisiting the title who had been "away for a while". This type of content drop for older titles is also part of Nintendo's plans to keep current Switch users engaged, according to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa.
So, for now, it seems you'll have to make do with Animal Crossing: New Horizon's 3.0 update. Once again it comes loaded with the Resort Hotel, the return of Resetti, Slumber Island and even some licensed collaborations. Of course, if we hear any developments going forward, or get an update about a new game, we'll let you know.