Animal Crossing Islands Will Transfer Completely To Nintendo Switch 2

Key Highlights:

• Nintendo confirms full Animal Crossing: New Horizons island transfers to Switch 2.
• New paper theatre kits and Brewster merchandise bring the cosy charm into the real world.
• New Leaf online functionality makes a surprise comeback thanks to Pretendo.

While fans wait patiently for a brand-new Animal Crossing game to be announced for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo has just confirmed something that should ease the wait: your beloved Animal Crossing: New Horizons island will move over cleanly and completely to the new console.

No cloud upload hoops, no awkward transfer tools—just a straightforward system move that brings your entire island to Switch 2 in one go.

It’s a seamless process, as long as you have your current Switch in hand.

Takuhiro Dohta from Nintendo explained the system migration in a recent interview with Polygon, noting that while most game data is cloned between consoles, your Animal Crossing island is treated differently.

Once transferred, the island won’t remain on the original system. That means no duplication tricks, your digital paradise gets a new home, not a twin.

And yes, if you’re thinking of keeping your original Switch as a backup system, you’ll still be able to start a fresh island there.

Nintendo’s system architecture ties the game state to the console rather than the account, opening the door to multiple unique island experiences if you’re so inclined.

Despite all this movement behind the scenes, Nintendo hasn’t announced a new entry in the series or any enhancements for New Horizons itself.

That silence doesn’t stop fans from speculating, especially with subtle nods like official screenshots showing off features like the fisheye lens—just enough to keep the franchise present in the conversation.

In the physical world, Animal Crossing is branching out again with brand-new official merchandise.

Paper theatre kits showcasing familiar characters like Timmy, Tommy, Rosie, Tom Nook, and Isabelle are now up for pre-order.

These intricate layered crafts offer a three-dimensional snapshot of island life, capturing spring and summer scenes straight from the game’s world. They’re niche, detailed, and require assembly, like a puzzle made for collectors.

And that’s not all. Brewster fans are finally getting a long-overdue reward. A range of café-themed merchandise—coffee grinders, mugs, coasters, and jars—has made its way outside Japan, with select items now appearing in Nintendo stores and online in North America.

Europe’s still waiting, but given the slow rollout, there’s hope these items will make their way west.

Elsewhere in the Animal Crossing universe, something surprising has been happening with New Leaf.

The long-dormant 3DS title saw its online features shut down last year, cutting players off from town visits and mini-games.

But thanks to Pretendo, an independent fan project, those features are coming back. Beta testing for New Leaf’s online functions is already underway, and although the Dream Suite remains offline, most multiplayer features are up and running.

For longtime players, it’s a quiet revival of a classic era.

Meanwhile, April has proven to be anything but quiet for Pocket Camp players. CJ’s Fresh Laundry fishing tourney is already underway, and Bunny Day will kick off the scavenger hunt event, bringing new cosmetic items into the mix.

Nintendo’s event cadence here remains consistent, offering returning items and one-off exclusives that rotate back in over time—so even if you miss something, there’s always a second chance.

It’s clear that even without a new mainline title announced, Animal Crossing is far from fading into the background.

From enhanced system features to niche merchandise and unexpected online revivals, there’s a quiet confidence in how Nintendo continues to support the brand.

Whether it’s through nostalgia-fuelled updates or quality-of-life improvements for long-time players, Animal Crossing still knows how to show up exactly when fans need it most.