If like me, being in lockdown the last few weeks has meant you’ve spent an inordinate amount of time pretending to be outside by playing Animal Crossing, you’ll be pleased to hear that Nintendo announced a whole bunch of new updates today.
These updates include new visitors, a museum upgrade, new plants, and new events. Of course, after the *ahem* mixed views around Bunny Day, we’re hoping that these upcoming events don’t have us plotting the murder of a rather unnerving CGI bunny. So, let’s dive into all the updates Nintendo confirmed for Animal Crossing: New Horizons that you can download for free on April 23rd, 2020.
New faces, exciting new events and more new features are coming to Animal Crossing New Horizons via the free update, available this Thursday! pic.twitter.com/Aos4NdfXcY
— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) April 21, 2020
Leif’s Garden Shop
First up, we have a new visiting trader – Leif. Now, we don’t know yet if Leif and their garden shop will become a permanent addition to your island like the Able Sisters, or will only be an occasional visitor like Flick or C.J. but either way, we’re excited.
In the announcement video, we see brand new plants popping up to help you decorate your island with a variety of new shrubbery.
Jolly Red’s Treasure Trawler
Our second new island visitor is in the form of Jolly Red. They appear in their Treasure Trawler, an adorable little boat filled to the brim with antiques and artwork. But, why would you be interested in buying stuff like this?
Well, that leads us nicely onto our next point…
Museum Expansion
That’s right! Our museums are getting a new wing in the form of the Art Gallery addition. This makes us wonder what other museum expansions may be on the horizon for our little islands. Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments below!
Upcoming Events
Hopefully, these upcoming Animal Crossing events will be a step up from the egg-shaped hell that was Bunny Day.
Nature Day: 23/04 – 04/05
First up is Nature Day. By the looks of things, throughout this event, you’ll be able to earn more miles than usual by completing nature-based activities like planting flowers or trees, or watering said plants to keep the island looking spiffy.
May Day: 01/05 – 07/05
Next, we have May Day. This event is all centered around visiting special islands to complete what looks like obstacle courses-cum-mazes to find prizes and items. No word yet on how easy it will be to get to these islands, or how hard they will be to navigate, but it looks pretty promising.
International Museum Day: 18/05 – 31/05
Of course, Animal Crossing New Horizons was always going to celebrate International Museum Day. For this in-game event, you will be able to collect limited edition stamps around your museum which you’ll need to collect for specific prizes.
Wedding Season: 01/06 – 30/06
Arguably the weirdest choice in the event line up is Wedding Season. All we really know about this one is that you’ll be helping Harvey take some wedding pictures. If you haven’t been to Harvey’s island yet, then you’re in for a shock. But, events like this at least help make his creepy little photo studio make a bit more sense.
Final Word
Whew! Quite an update seems to be heading our way, and I for one can’t wait to sink more hours into this adorable game. Let us know what you think of the updates in the comments below!