Nintendo released a new software update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Tuesday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise. The update, version 3.0.2, provides players with a special commemorative item and several gameplay fixes for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 users.
Players downloading the update will find a new item called the Leaf Statue in their in-game mailbox. The object is a large, illuminated version of the series' iconic leaf symbol.
Accompanying the item is a thank-you letter from Nintendo. The message reads, "It's been 25 years since 4/14/01. It was said, 'Better than one is two, better than two is four, and better than four is... many.' And there are so many of you now! Thank you."
Anniversary tributes and bug fixes
The letter features a stamp with the Nintendo 64 logo, referencing the original 2001 Japanese release of the series, Dōbutsu no Mori. That title served as the foundation for the franchise before its 2002 Western release as Animal Crossing.
Beyond the anniversary gift, the patch notes detail several technical corrections. Developers fixed an issue where players could occasionally craft multiple items without sufficient materials.
Other fixes include resolving a bug where dung beetles would remain on screen after a snowball disappeared. Nintendo also addressed a problem where items could pop out of rocks before the player's shovel made contact.
Changes also extend to the Happy Home Paradise DLC. The update fixes a bug where villagers requesting vacation homes would stop appearing on the beach even when unassigned homes remained available.
Additional adjustments targeted villager behavior, specifically fixing instances where NPCs would appear in unnatural locations inside player homes. The update also resolved issues with custom designs not displaying correctly at the Able Sisters shop.
