Which Nintendo console did Animal Crossing: New Horizons launch on?

Animal Crossing: New Horizons launched on the Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo released New Horizons worldwide on March 20, 2020, making it the fifth main installment in the Animal Crossing series. Instead of moving into an established town, players purchased a deserted-island getaway package from Tom Nook and gradually built a community from scratch.

The Nintendo Switch hardware enabled several major additions, including extensive island terraforming, crafting, home customization, and local or online multiplayer. The game still retained the series’ signature real-time clock, calendar, seasonal events, collecting, and relationships with animal villagers.

The launch date is often remembered alongside the COVID-19 pandemic because the game became a popular way to socialize during stay-at-home restrictions. New Horizons was later expanded through major updates, including the Happy Home Paradise downloadable content in 2021. A Nintendo Switch 2 edition arrived in 2026, but the original launch platform was the Nintendo Switch.