Animal Crossing Update Now Live, Increases Design Slots, Adds New Bunny Day Items, And More

Animal Crossing: New Horizons' 1.9.0 update is now live. This update introduces Sanrio-inspired villagers and furniture and more new seasonal items to the Switch life sim, as well as additional design slots and other new features. As an extra bonus, everyone who downloads and installs the update will receive a free item in their mailbox: a special cake commemorating New Horizons' first anniversary.

As Nintendo detailed on Twitter, the 1.9.0 update has added 50 more slots for both Custom Designs and Pro Designs, greatly increasing the number of patterns you can keep. Additionally, you'll be able to purchase a Custom Designs Portal and Custom Design Pro Editor+ from the Nook Miles catalog; these will let you download and edit designs right from you Nook Phone, without having to travel to the Able Sisters' shop to access the terminal.

Bunny Day--the first major event to occur after New Horizons launched last year--will return again on April 4. As before, you'll be able to collect different kinds of eggs from around your island and craft them into special Bunny Day furniture. This time, however, Nook's Cranny will also be selling brand-new Bunny Day items. These will be available exclusively in the shop, with a different item on sale each day from March 28 to April 4.

The Nook Link service in the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app will also receive its own update later this month. Following that update, the app will add a new feature that lets you collect Nook Points right from your phone and redeem them for prizes that you'll receive in your game. You'll need to have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to use the mobile app.

Finally, Nintendo is launching a new limited-time web service called the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Island Tour Creator on March 23. With this, you'll be able to create virtual posters and tour video showcasing your island and share them with others online.

As previously mentioned, the 1.9.0 update also introduces an assortment of new Sanrio-inspired content, including brand-new villagers who you can invite to live on your island. You'll need to scan the Animal Crossing Sanrio Amiibo cards to access these new villagers and items. Those will go on sale in the US starting March 26 and be sold exclusively at Target stores.