Nintendo celebrates Animal Crossing turning 25 with a charming commemorative item to display on your New Horizons island

The Animal Crossing series marked its 25th anniversary on April 14, 2026, with a special update celebrating the franchise’s quarter-century milestone. The series first launched as Dōbutsu no Mori (Animal Forest) for the Nintendo 64 in Japan on April 14, 2001, before being ported to GameCube and eventually reaching Western audiences.

To commemorate the occasion, Nintendo released update 3.0.2 for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, available on both Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. The patch delivers a commemorative Leaf Statue to all players—a villager-sized decorative item designed around the series’ iconic leaf symbol that lights up when displayed. Players can claim the gift by checking their in-game mailbox, where it arrives alongside a thank-you letter from Nintendo featuring a nostalgic N64 stamp.

Beyond the anniversary item, the update addresses multiple bug fixes, including issues where items would pop out of rocks before shovel contact, villager guests appearing in unnatural house locations, and problems with crafting and custom designs. The surprise patch underscores Nintendo’s continued support for the life simulation game, which remains popular years after its 2020 launch.

Nintendo celebrates Animal Crossing turning 25 with a charming commemorative item to display on your New Horizons island

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