Although Animal Crossing: New Horizons was noticeably absent from the April 2 Nintendo Direct, fans can breathe a sigh of relief—your beloved island is coming with you to the Nintendo Switch 2.
In an exclusive interview with Polygon, Nintendo developer Takuhiro Dohta clarified how the system transfer process will handle save data. While most game data will remain on the original console, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the exception. The game’s island data will be moved in full to the Switch 2, leaving the original Switch without it—but ensuring a one-to-one transfer that preserves your hard-earned progress.
No Extra Apps or Cloud Saves Needed
Unlike the original Island Transfer Tool or Cloud Save options, this new system transfer doesn’t require:
-
A separate app
-
A Nintendo Switch Online subscription
-
Or manual backup via the cloud
As long as both your original Switch and the Switch 2 are physically nearby, the process is straightforward and streamlined.
However, those planning to trade in their old console before the transfer should reconsider. Since both devices need to be present, a trade-in before transfer would result in losing your island data.
What You’ll Need for the Transfer
-
Both consoles (Switch and Switch 2) present at the same time
-
Sufficient storage on the Switch 2 (which has 256GB built-in)
-
No internet connection or cloud saves required
For players sticking with the original Switch family, the Island Transfer app still enables transfers between models (e.g., Switch Lite to OLED). Cloud Save transfers remain available too, though they might require contacting Nintendo Support for assistance.
Nintendo is finally delivering a user-friendly transfer system for one of its most beloved titles. With Animal Crossing: New Horizons island transfer to Switch 2 officially supported and streamlined, players can confidently move into the next generation—without leaving their villagers behind. and Stay tuned with us for another updates!