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Animal Crossing: New Horizons fall update adds a Halloween event

Don Reisinger
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Animal Crossing: New Horizons will be getting a Halloween event as part of its newest fall update.

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Nintendo plans to launch a fall update to Animal Crossing: New Horizons on September 30. The free update will offer new “growing pumpkins” that players will be able to add to their homes and islands. The pumpkins will grow over time and, once they reach their full size, they can be harvested and used in a variety of in-game projects, Nintendo said.

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Nintendo will also add a host of costumes to the game’s Able Sisters shop, allowing players to buy new looks for their characters in time for Halloween.

Body paint and colored eye contacts will also be available in exchange for Nook Miles, and residents around the Animal Crossing universe will offer up new DIY projects focused on Halloween.

Starting at 5 p.m. local time on Halloween, October 31, Animal Crossing: New Horizons players can also participate in a celebration where they can showcase their costumes and new looks. A new guest named Jack, the Czar of Halloween, will also appear at that time with opportunities to earn rewards. Nintendo said players should keep some candy for their fellow neighbors, and if they don’t receive candy, it’s possible players will get tricked. New Reactions coming in the fall update will also let players express fear of those tricks on character faces.

Earlier this year, Nintendo offered an Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch console. That hardware, which featured green-and-blue Joy-Con controllers and a white dock with images of Tom Nook and Nooklings Timmy and Tommy from the game, was only available in a limited quantity and has since sold out.

To celebrate the fall edition, however, Nintendo said that it’s produced more of the Animal Crossing Switch and will be making it available to participating retailers in the coming days. Nintendo didn’t immediately say when the console would be available, but said it’ll cost $300 at launch.

Outside of Halloween-themed updates, Nintendo on Friday announced plans to allow players to revisit dreams they’ve experienced in the game as part of the fall update. Players will also be able to perform Reactions in-game from the NookLink Service in Nintendo’s Switch Online smartphone app starting in early October.

Looking ahead, Nintendo said it will offer another Animal Crossing: New Horizons update in November.

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Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger is a freelance technology, video game, and entertainment journalist. He has been writing about the world of…
Disney Dreamlight Valley and Harvestella make one critical farming mistake
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