New Animal Crossing Switch 2 Game Tease Leaves Fans Split

1 hour ago 9

Published Jun 4, 2026, 9:01 AM EDT

Known as 'Cyberpunk 2077's' biggest fan, Angharad is a Welsh games writer who thrives in anything related to digital storytelling. If a video game explores the intricacies and horrors of womanhood, she is there.

Thanks to previous work at GAMINGbible, GameByte, The Loadout, Game Luster, Angharad has built a strong understanding of both the digital world and what fans want from it and is eager to share her thoughts and expertise with readers.

Since it first burst onto the scene back in 2001, the Animal Crossing franchise by Nintendo has become one of the most beloved in gaming history. Allowing players to live out their cozy dreams alongside some adorable animals, they are encouraged to build and design their town, interact with villagers, and complete non-demanding tasks in the relaxing, social simulation game.

Now consisting of eight official games, Animal Crossing has welcomed multiple mainline entries and spin-offs for both Nintendo consoles and mobile, with the most notable being Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which launched on the Nintendo Switch back in 2020. Arriving at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when many people were unable to leave their homes, it came at the perfect time, and, as such, it went on to become the best-selling game on the Nintendo Switch, selling over 47 million copies and breaking multiple records.

Holding up a snowflake in Animal Crossing New Horizons

However, since its launch and the brief DLC, Happy Home Paradise, fans have been left disappointed with the lack of support for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Despite receiving a Nintendo Switch 2 port back in January, alongside Version 3.0, there was still hardly any new content to enjoy, leaving many players to move onto other titles in the genre, such as Pokopia.

As such, fans are torn between wanting the next Animal Crossing installment and just hoping that Nintendo releases some new content for Animal Crossing: New Horizons. However, a recent rumor could hint at the former coming true a lot sooner than we had expected.

According to Nash Weedle on Twitter/X, a potential Animal Crossing game could be announced at the upcoming Nintendo Direct showcase, which is expected to air on 9 June. The insider recently posted an image of the American flag with a leaf in the foreground. This could mean many things, but Animal Crossing fans believe it is a reference to Animal Crossing: New Leaf, which released in the U.S. on 9 June, 2013.

Could this mean a remake of Animal Crossing: New Leaf? Or just a hint at Nintendo just potentially making an announcement to celebrate the game's anniversary? It remains to be seen, but as you can imagine, fans were left feeling divided when the news broke over on r/Switch.

Epona and the player in Epona's house in Animal Crossing New Leaf.

"I'd be surprised if they announced the new Animal Crossing after just coming out with the Switch 2 version of New Horizons," the top comment reads. "No shot it’s Animal Crossing, but I am hyped for a Direct regardless," another added. With another fan claiming that they would be happy to receive another Animal Crossing game in 2027 as they "don't want 2026 just yet", it seems as though timing will again be key for Nintendo when it comes to the future of the franchise, especially as the social simulation genre has a lot of competition in recent years.

For now, with no confirmation from Nintendo, the future of the Animal Crossing franchise remains a mystery.