- Animal Crossing releases a new free DLC to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
- Members can access the Nintendo Music app for 158 tracks from the game.
- When can we expect a new Animal Crossing game from Nintendo.
The series first began its life in 2001, on the Nintendo 64, Dลbutsu no Mori – also known as Animal Forest – was a Japanese-exclusive before it was eventually ported to the Nintendo GameCube in 2002 as Animal Crossing.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Patch Adds 25th Anniversary Gift
Bringing the original Animal Crossing to the GameCube was likely seen as a risk by Nintendo, given that the cozy sim genre was non-existent at the time. However it would go on to be one of the company’s biggest franchises, with New Horizons becoming the second best-selling game on Switch. Now Nintendo is celebrating the series with a free DLC gift.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been updated to Version 3.0.2
— Stealth (@Stealth40k) April 14, 2026
A leaf item has been added to celebrate the series 25th anniversary! pic.twitter.com/RZaFxO9Qgu
The patch notes for Animal Crossing: New Horizons on the official Nintendo website have confirmed that the game is sending a gift to all players. Those who check their mailbox will be able to claim a giant Leaf Statue, which is the symbol of the series. The brand-new items can be used to decorate towns and is available to download now. This new Leaf Statue item is available as part of the 3.0.2 update, which is primarily focused on fixing bugs with the game. Animal Crossing: New Horizons received a major content update alongside its Nintendo Switch 2 port, so glitches have been introduced with these new features.
When Will the Next Animal Crossing Game Arrive On Nintendo Switch 2?
While the latest content update was a welcome surprise for Animal Crossing fans, many have questions about the future of the series. Nintendo has yet to announce the next entry in the series. Animal Crossing: New Horizons has a dedicated Nintendo Switch 2 update, but fans are wondering what’s in store for the series’ future. Chances are the Nintendo Switch 2 will receive a new Animal Crossing game, but it won’t arrive for a few more years, assuming Nintendo doesn’t want to skip the current generation. That said, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was a massive hit, so the chances of a new entry on the Nintendo Switch 2 are high.
The bigger question is whether older games will be available on the Nintendo Switch 2, since the series debuted on the GameCube, a system that now has titles on current hardware via a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass subscription. It would have made a lot of sense to put Animal Crossing on the service as part of the series’ 25th anniversary celebrations. Of course, this is Nintendo, and the company could just as easily shadow-drop it on a random Tuesday night, rather than make a big deal out of it. In the meantime, this Leaf statue is the perfect opportunity for players to redecorate their islands.
This latest freebie doesnโt quite bring New Horizons to the same standard New Leaf set, but itโs still a nice touch. Nintendo is also offering a bonus freebie for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Those who have a valid membership and can access the Nintendo Music app will find the soundtrack from the original game available for free. 158 tracks are featured on the playlist and listening to the whole thing will take you over five hours in one sitting.
More songs from the Nintendo GameCube game, Animal Crossing, are in the #NintendoMusic app today!
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 14, 2026
๐ต Good vibes available now: https://t.co/LRRNNoq19n pic.twitter.com/z1YA2d0wRU
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