Animal Crossing New Horizons 3.0 Update Makes Crafting Way Easier — Here's What Changed

Almost five years after its release on the Nintendo Switch, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has received a substantial free update that significantly changes how players craft items and manage their islands. Version 3.0, released on 15 January 2026, introduces long-requested features aimed at reducing repetition and streamlining everyday gameplay.

The update centres on a reworked crafting system, an area that has drawn criticism since the game's launch for being time-consuming and labour-intensive. Players can now craft multiple items at once and use materials directly from storage, removing several layers of manual inventory management.

Nintendo said the changes form part of a broader effort to improve quality-of-life features across the game. Alongside the crafting overhaul, version 3.0 adds new island management tools, expanded storage options and additional creative spaces, all available to existing players at no extra cost.

Crafting Multiple Items and Using Stored Materials

Before version 3.0, players were required to craft items individually at a workbench, even when they held enough materials to produce several at once. The update introduces bulk crafting, allowing players to select a quantity and complete multiple identical items in a single action.

Another key change allows crafting directly from home storage. Materials such as wood, stone and iron nuggets no longer need to be carried in a player's pockets to be used. Instead, all stored resources are automatically accessible when interacting with a workbench inside the home.

Together, these changes reduce repeated menu navigation and inventory juggling, making larger projects such as furniture sets or island redesigns quicker to complete and less disruptive to gameplay.

Wider Quality of Life Improvements

The update also expands home storage capacity, allowing players to hold thousands more items, including trees, flowers and shrubs that were previously excluded. This change is designed to support larger builds and long-term island development.

Players can now use Resetti's Reset Service to clear and store large areas of their island in a single action. The tool replaces the need to move items one by one when reshaping landscapes or reorganising neighbourhoods.

Additional content includes Kapp'n's Resort Hotel, where players design themed guest rooms for visiting characters in exchange for rewards, and Slumber Island. Available through Nintendo Switch Online, Slumber Island functions as a sandbox environment where players can experiment with layouts, weather and time settings without affecting their main island.

Player Reaction and Future Support

Reaction to the update has focused largely on the crafting changes, which many players describe as addressing long-standing frustrations. Online forums and social platforms have highlighted how bulk crafting and access to stored materials reduce repetitive tasks that previously slowed progress.

Some returning players have said the update makes longer play sessions more appealing, while others have welcomed the expanded storage and island tools as evidence of continued support for the game.

Nintendo has not confirmed whether further major updates are planned. However, the scale of version 3.0 suggests an effort to extend the lifespan of New Horizons well into the current console cycle.

With streamlined crafting, expanded storage and new creative spaces, the update represents one of the most significant revisions to the game since launch, reshaping daily island life while preserving the relaxed pace that defines the series.