Animal Crossing Direct
Nintendo released an Animal Crossing Direct on October 15th, 2021. During the event, they covered details of the final free major update to the game and the first paid downloadable content. There is a lot of information to unpack here!

An exciting day for Animal Crossing: New Horizons fans as Nintendo just unleashed a plethora of new information about the upcoming version 2.0 update of the game! The free update will go live on November 5th, 2020. So we are only a short wait away! Not only did Nintendo share features of the new free update, they also revealed the first paid downloadable content for the title, Happy Home Paradise, releasing the same the day.

Version 2.0
The Roost has finally made its way to your island in the final free major update of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, releasing on November 5th, 2021! Players can visit the coffee shop by first visiting the museum and entering it through the second floor of the lobby. Once inside, villagers can enjoy a nice cup of coffee and invite friends to tag along. This can be done in multiplayer or through using amiibo to invite your favorite character!

Additionally, Kapp'n is back and they are ready to take you on an adventure to mysterious islands! These islands can be any season, any time of day, and the contents of the island are vast. The boat can be found via the secondary dock located on the main island and it costs Nook Miles to take the trip.
Many quality of life improvements have been added to the game as well. Storage for items have been increased, gyroids are back, new items are available for purchase, permanent ladder fixtures can now be crafted, additional slopes and bridges can be constructed. As stated previously, there is a lot to unpack here!
Harv's Island Expansion
There is a lot more to accomplish at Harv's Island! Included in the free update, players can help Harv and Harriet expand their island. Harv still runs his photo studio. Harriet can introduce players to new hairstyles. All of the rotating vendors that visit your island can now establish a permanent shop here. In this new plaza, new returning characters have also set up shop including Katrina and Tortimer! These additions will certainly make visiting Harv's Island a much more occurring event for many players.

Happy Home Paradise
Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Happy Home Paradise is the first paid downloadable content coming to the beloved game. With this content, you are tasked with traveling to a new island with plenty of facilities to design. There is also a chain of islands that are the perfect location for new vacation homes for your favorite Animal Crossing characters! The content adds new design tools as well to customize these vacation homes to your heart's desire.
On top of this great news, once you tackle enough projects at these destinations, the skills you learn can be applied to your own island! You will be able to further customize your own home and the home's of residents on your island! This much requested feature is finally making its way to the title!

Along with the new content, new amiibo card series for the game will be released on the same day including characters previously unavailable as an amiibo. Perfect timing to search for that Raymond card or to invite some new characters to the cafe!
The paid downloadable content will be available on November 5th, 2021 for $24.99 USD, with preorders beginning on October 29th, 2021. However, if you are looking for a deal, there is an alternative for getting this content...
Plus Expansion Pack
Nintendo dropped a bombshell that makes their new service, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, much more desirable. Included in the expansion pack is the Happy Home Paradise downloadable content! For those like myself with two people in the household with each their own Nintendo Switch and copy of the game, upgrading the family membership is much more appealing. Now I won't have to hear complaints from my husband about having to pay for additional content. 😅

As a huge fan of the base game, I am super excited to dive back into the game! For complete details of everything coming to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, check out the video below!
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