Nintendo held an Animal Crossing New Horizons presentation today, detailing future content plans for the game and giving us a sense of what to expect in the next stage of the game’s life. For those who weren’t able to watch the show live, the two videos are included here. For everyone else who can’t watch, here’s our recap:
The next big update will be coming to New Horizons on November 5. “Vers 2.0.” will be the “last major free content update” for the game.
- The first big addition is The Roost, a cafe run by Brewster, where other island neighbors will show up to chat. Using Animal Crossing amiibo will allow you to bring other characters to the shop, as well.
- Kapp’n will also be showing up to use his boat to take you on a tour and sing to you on the way. The destination is a mysterious island, which will have different attributes like times of day or seasons, giving you access to resources you might not find on your own island.
- Harv’s Island is getting a big update as well, which will include a plaza filled with shops. You can donate to the cause, and as you do, more shops will open up.
- Some more features coming to your home island include the addition of group stretching, ordinances to wake up your neighbors during certain times of the day, and the ability to change the exterior of your home to match your island’s aesthetic.
- Cooking is coming to DIY Recipes, and will let you use crops you’ve been growing on your island to cook things like soup, sandwiches, and more.
- Decorations are getting some changes as well, allowing you to add lighting and ceiling decorations to your home.
- A few tweaks are being made to the camera app, which will make the camera stay at eye level of your characters, allowing you to get a more close-up, precise photo.
- Custom designs patterns used for items can now be used for clothes.
- Eleven new hairstyles are being added, including ones learned on Harv’s Island.
- Eleven new reactions, including saying goodbye and stretching are coming.
- A new app, Island Life 101, will help you get the most out of your Animal Crossing experience by giving you tips and tricks.
- K.K. Slider is releasing 12 new songs, and you’ll be able to listen to them through a music box being added as a new furniture piece.
- Gyroid pieces that can be dug up and planted are coming, and can be customized to your liking.
- Nook’s Cranny is getting new furniture and ceiling decor.
- You can now craft a ladder set-up kit, which will make ladders a permanent fixture on your island.
- Players can now shimmy through tight spaces, meaning you won’t have to get super picky with the furniture setup to make sure your character can walk straight through the space.
- Island residents will now invite you into their home, or show up for a surprise visit.
More Animal Crossing:
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons Is the Perfect Tool for Virtual Dates
- Last Night, I Time Traveled in Animal Crossing
- This Animal Crossing: New Horizons Player Designs Cute Villager Embroidery
That’s all for the free update. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is also getting a paid DLC called Happy Home Paradise, which is a resort development expansion. You’re basically being hired on to attend to visitors of a resort. This means picking an island that best suits their taste, getting your interior and exterior design on, all in service of your client’s ideal vacation spot. The design options are really extensive, from furniture, lighting, structure, and more. All of this will be compensated, and the Happy Home Paradise DLC will give you access to more buyable furniture that won’t be available in the main game. Amiibo figures and cards can be used to invite specific characters to the vacation islands. It’s not just vacation homes, either. You’ll also be able to design other establishments like school classrooms, restaurants, and stores.
Happy Home Paradise will run you $24.99 when it launches on November 5. It will also be available as part of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership plan, which, for one account, will run you $49.99, or $79.99 for a family account that supports eight people. This will include 12 months of Nintendo Switch Online, as well as access to Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games available on the eShop.
And lastly, 48 new Amiibo cards for Animal Crossing characters are coming, which will be available in packs of five cards.
