Animal Crossing Players Hail Groundbreaking New Feature in 3.0 Update

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has dropped its free 3.0 update one day early, and we’re so incredibly back.

That’s right. If you turn on your Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 right now, you’ll notice update 3.0 downloading, although I should stress that the paid new-gen upgrade remains set to launch tomorrow, on 15 January.

As you can imagine, it didn’t take very long for avid fans to dive into the update. In fact, already, one godsend quality-of-life feature has emerged.

Goodbye Inventory Management

Reddit user FelixSandwichez took to the site to reveal that “you don’t need to have your crafted materials on your anymore”, and I’m not at all surprised that the post has already garnered thousands of upvotes.

There is nothing more painful than inventory management and ensuring you have the required items on you at the correct time.

I think all games should pull from your storage but alas, they don’t. Thankfully, Animal Crossing: New Horizons now does.

“DIY benches and kitchens can now use materials and ingredients in your home storage,” reads the in-game pop-up.

“Stored items cannot be used while on another island.”

Needless to say, fans are jumping for joy.

“FINALLY,” replied Cronodoug, while DuckSwimmer said, “MY POCKETS ARE FREE.”

“This is my favourite thing about the update. I just broke multiple tools in a short space of time and I didn't have to tit about going home. Just went to the nearest DIY thingie and new tool easy peasey,” remarked Sympathyquiche.

“Animal Crossing: Now Playable,” joked a witty neoslith.

Of course, it’s far from the only change the 3.0 makes.

The headliner of the update is the arrival of Kapp’n’s new resort hotel which’ll see players decorate rooms to appease visiting guests.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Credit / Nintendo

That pic is me spreading the news. There are new items, purchasable using hotel tokens, plus several collaborations available via Nook’s Cranny and Nook Shopping.

LEGO and Nintendo items are available for all, whilst Zelda and Splatoon items will require the relevant amiibo.

Finally, there’s the additions of Resetti’s Reset Service and Slumber Island - the latter being an alternate dream island players can decorate.

I’m sure more subtle quality-of-life changes will come to light in the coming days.

And from tomorrow, we can enjoy the Switch 2 new-gen update which increases multiplayer capacity and introduces upgraded 4K visuals.

Tonight’s plans: light a candle, get snuggly, load up Animal Crossing, listen to the blissful tunes of KK Slider.