Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 Update Is Live Early On Switch

"Animal Crossing: New Horizons' 3.0 update is out now-a day earlier than expected for many players. While the free update is out now, the Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade is still unavailable, and likely won't be out until that version's official release date of January 15. The reason the 3.0 update dropped early is assumed to be because it's already January 15 in certain time zones, like New Zealand."

"The paid Switch 2 upgrade, though, is seemingly tied to timing in different regions; once it hits midnight where you are, it'll be available for purchase. To access the free update, just update your Animal Crossing: New Horizons game from the Switch homepage. Once the game launches, you'll know the update is live because Isabelle will shout out the new hotel opening."

"Fans have been prepping for months ahead of the content update, which was announced late last year. The announcement itself was a huge surprise-Nintendo's 2.0 update was the last major release in 2021, and was widely expected to be the last update for the game. The new update adds a bunch of new content, like the Kapp'n family hotel, located on the pier."

Version 3.0 of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now in some regions, with the Switch 2 paid upgrade scheduled to unlock at local midnight and likely tied to the console's January 15 release date. Time-zone differences allowed the free update to appear earlier for players in places like New Zealand. Players can access the free update by updating the game from the Switch home screen; Isabelle announces the update by shouting about the new hotel opening. New content includes the Kapp'n family hotel on the pier. Quality-of-life improvements include bulk crafting and a Resetti clean-up service for resetting island portions. The Switch 2 upgrade adds support for mouse controls and larger multiplayer groups using new hardware capabilities.

Read at Kotaku