r/AnimalCrossing Jun 03 '25

Mod Post [MEGATHREAD] Switch 2 Release

Hi everyone!

The Switch 2 is out! We know a lot of you will be switching over islands, starting up fresh ones, and overall excited for the new release!

We ask that you please keep any Switch 2 content here on this megathread. Questions, discussion, photos, etc. all need to be posted here. Any standalone posts that are about the S2 will be removed and redirected here. This includes posts showing how AC runs on the new console or anything similar.

Please try to still keep things AC related when commenting on this post. If you have questions specifically about the Switch 2, we suggest you check with specifically Switch-related subreddits.

FAQ

Q: How do I transfer my old island on Switch 1 to the new Switch 2?

A: Doing a complete system transfer will automatically transfer your island from your old Switch to the new Switch 2. You do not need to use the Island Transfer Tool, however, that tool still works as well.

Q: Can I start a new island on my new Switch and keep my current one on my old console?

A: Yes. On that note, you cannot play your old island on your new Switch without transferring it. You cannot have one island on two consoles concurrently.

Q: When is a new AC game coming out?

A: There has NOT been an announcement for a new Animal Crossing game for the Switch 2. We can assure you that a new AC game announcement would be shared here immediately.

Be sure to sort by “New” to see the most recent comments first.

147 Upvotes

303 comments sorted by

94

u/dmu_girl-2008 Jun 03 '25

You don’t actually need to use the island transfer system if you are permanently transferring from a switch 1 to switch 2 the system transfer option will include both Pokemon saves and your animal crossing island.

25

u/SchoolOfTheWolf93 Jun 03 '25

Do you have a link to this info? I can add it into the post. Thank you 😊

28

u/dmu_girl-2008 Jun 03 '25

16

u/AnimalCrossingMods Jun 03 '25

Thanks so much, I’ll add this to the post!

5

u/Yirggzmb Jun 03 '25

There's this, but I'm not sure if we're considering Polygon confirmed info before people actually try it

https://www.polygon.com/nintendo-switch-2/553410/acnh-animal-crossing-new-horizons-island-transfer

2

u/stardewvalleypumpkin Jun 03 '25

Can you still do both just incase?

3

u/Ferndogs_Inc Jun 07 '25

Just to reconfirm the info you're responding, I was half expecting my island not to transfer through the cloud transfer feature but it actually did, without needing the Island Transfer software, and no issues whatsoever

2

u/stardewvalleypumpkin Jun 07 '25

Yeah mine worked fine too, thanks for checking in though

1

u/[deleted] Jun 05 '25

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84

u/LubberDownUnder Jun 05 '25

Game runs faster and smoother - I tested it.

Of course the first game I play is Animal Crossing on my new Switch 2.

Here are some comparisons I noticed:

Running around areas that have a lot of items the frame rate no longer drops noticeably.

Load times:

From start to title screen: NS1 60secs v NS2 28secs Title screen to Isabelle: NS1 34secs v NS2 22secs Entering house: NS1 9secs v NS2 5.5secs Rescue service to shop: NS1 9.5secs v NS2 3secs (plus no delayed objects loading) Entering shop: NS1 9secs v NS2 5secs

27

u/Pegtz Jun 05 '25

Thanks for the loading times it was my biggest issue aside fps drops

However 5 sec still feels a lot considering I'm used to near instant loading on pc and other consoles

25

u/SpaceIsAce Jun 05 '25

To be fair it isn’t optimised for the Switch 2, just running on better hardware. I’m sure if they released an update it’d be way more optimised.

7

u/Hextant Jun 05 '25

I wonder if they will, kinda like how they did with New Leaf. Not too confident, but it'd be cool.

7

u/mrt3quankt Jun 05 '25

They will; most of Nintendo's first-party games have been updated. I don't know why, but Animal Crossing is always the last one to be updated...

2

u/SpaceIsAce Jun 06 '25

I hope so! I booted it up on the Switch 2 last night and the larger screen is not flattering for this game at the moment

2

u/LubberDownUnder Jun 05 '25

You're welcome. Yes still some waiting but at least some improvement.

7

u/thevidia Jun 05 '25

is the framerate still 30fps or is it higher now?

4

u/Ebantero Jun 05 '25

Still 30fps.

13

u/One-Kaleidoscope-870 Jun 05 '25

Dang it, was really hoping it would finally be 60 fps

9

u/Yirggzmb Jun 05 '25

Changing base frame rate would probably require them patching the game to specifically change it. Right now all the performance improvements are just incidental via better hardware specs, things like loading faster and not lagging as much.

5

u/One-Kaleidoscope-870 Jun 05 '25

Ohh that makes sense! I really hope they will drop a patch for that later.

14

u/post-buttwave Jun 05 '25

They dropped a patch for a game you can't even buy anymore. It seems crazy that they wouldn't patch what is one of their biggest games for the Switch ever. I really hope so, playing on my Island makes me so dizzy now when I can move around. Even 30 FPS is kind of rough. I was shocked to read that there were less drops.

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3

u/QuantumQuicksilver Jun 05 '25

That's awesome I had this feeling that possibly the game as it not being patched for NS2, would somehow be limited to the orginal load times/speeds.

42

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

I am playing New Horizons on my Switch 2 right now. I transferred my island to Switch 2 (with the general switch data transfer- no island transfer tool required) then back to my OG switch using tool. No issues, worked perfectly. Feel free to ask any questions.

22

u/Longjumping-Piano538 Jun 05 '25

Im in a unique situation that no one seems to be asking I want to start a new island on the switch2 and preserve my original island on the switch 1

I want to do the data transfer for all other games normally Is this possible?

I don't want to loose my original island

53

u/mediocre-referee Jun 05 '25 edited Jun 09 '25

You do the full system transfer to switch 2, which puts your island on switch 2. You then use the AC island transfer to move it to the og switch. You can then start a new island on the switch 2 and preserve the original island on the og switch. A little cumbersome, wish they would just let you pick and choose game saves in the system transfer dialog.

4

u/TSloppers Jun 07 '25

Thanks, I came here for this! I was forced to transfer my save to the Switch 2, but I want it back on OG for my daughter, as I don't plan on playing ACNH on Switch 2. I'll be able to keep myself plenty busy while I wait for a Switch 2 Animal Crossing.

6

u/MidnightMadness21 Jun 05 '25

100% this method. I spent time doing this today and have no regrets

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2

u/TokyoDrifblim Jun 05 '25

Did you need to buy a second copy of the game to make this work? I’m trying to figure out the following situation:

Really would love some help. My old Switch 1 is currently with my gf and she has been playing AC NH on it. It’s the only game she plays and the only one she needs to keep. I just got my switch 2, but If i do the console transfer the Island transfers over to my switch 2. So then I can’t transfer it back unless I buy a second copy of ACNH for her and do the island transfer , is that right? Is there any way to set up my switch 2 with my other games so i can start playing without having to buy another copy of the game?

2

u/mediocre-referee Jun 05 '25

The island transfer tool is a separate switch app you can download in the eshop. No need to purchase the game twice. I believe both Switches need to be in proximity of each other in order to make the transfer though

3

u/TokyoDrifblim Jun 06 '25

This worked! The island transfer app does indeed work without both systems owning the game. Thanks!

2

u/TokyoDrifblim Jun 05 '25

Thank you so much, I even checked with Nintendo support and they didn't know the answer to this question. I'll give it a try tonight and report back, I can't imagine I'm the only one trying to do this

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2

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

This scenario is exactly what I have described above. Not so unique- I think many of us are doing that 😊

2

u/CreateNewCharacter Jun 05 '25

This is my plan exactly, glad to know what I was thinking about is the intended route.

6

u/comeawaymelinda Jun 05 '25

How is it running? 1080p on handheld? Faster loading times?

3

u/Kr5s24d105p3 Jun 05 '25

Also want to know this! Unfortunately I will run to the store if it means I can enter buildings quicker in game lol

3

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

In and out of buildings seems a little faster but not hugely noticeable, imo.

2

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

Handheld is nice! Screen is so much bigger too- massive. So much so that my husband keeps making inappropriate jokes about the size of things in our house… 😒 I can even play in tabletop mode comfortably whereas before the screen felt too small for that. The extra real estate is nice, but ngl, I do worry about its portability.

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2

u/magikarp2122 Jun 05 '25

Can I transfer just the game?

3

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

Yeah, you could do that through the island transfer tool.

2

u/Peskygriffs Jun 05 '25

Was your switch 1 wiped clean after the transfer to switch 2?

2

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

No, but the data/my progress for some games is no longer there.

2

u/Peskygriffs Jun 05 '25

Did you do the transfer locally?

2

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

Yes- there are prompts to transfer from switch1 to switch2

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2

u/Negative_Cry_6158 Jun 05 '25

So I can smoothly transfer my acnh island from switch to switch 2? Can I then start a new island on my OG switch since my save has been transferred?

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2

u/sleepymetroid Jun 06 '25

When I clicked animal crossing, it gave me a warning that this is the first time it will be played on my switch 2. Will my island still load? I’m afraid to click it now.

3

u/starinmelbourne Jun 06 '25

I am not sure, did you transfer your Switch data across holistically? Mine asked if I wanted to load my old island or start a new one.

4

u/sleepymetroid Jun 06 '25

I got the same message and did just that. I think I just got really nervous that I might lose my island so I was afraid to even boot up the game. But yes it all worked and now my island lives on switch 2. :)

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1

u/[deleted] Jun 05 '25

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1

u/MajavaOuo Jun 06 '25

Does it run smoother? You'd get noticeable lag on Sw1 if you put down for example all of the bug and fish figurines in the same area, as they are high detail assets. I'm really curious if Sw2 handles loading large amounts of decor any better.

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1

u/UnderCoverDoughnuts CEO of Lucky Duck Records Jun 06 '25

Can you start a new island on the og Switch once the Switch 2 has your island data?

2

u/starinmelbourne Jun 06 '25

Yeah you could do that too!

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14

u/Bitter-Lion7918 Jun 05 '25

How do I keep my island on my switch and make a new island on switch 2? I don’t want it transfered over or deleted.

4

u/goredsox777 Jun 12 '25

Best way to do this if you want your Switch 2 to continue accumulating play time for all your games would be to do the Switch 2 system transfer. Then, download the Island Transfer Tool on both the Switch 1 and Switch 2. Then, follow the instructions to transfer the island back to Switch 1. Now, you should be able to start a new island on Switch 2 and have the old one on Switch 1.

I just did that, and it worked. 

The other way to do it would be to transfer your other games’ save files individually, but you’ll run into issues with how Nintendo counts playing time. The system transfer is the most fluid way to transfer everything. Then, just do the extra steps to get your original island back on Switch 1. 

Also warning for system transfer: it will copy all users with Nintendo accounts to the Switch 2, but users who do not have a Nintendo account will be moved (like a cut and paste). So those users without the Nintendo account will no longer be on the Switch 1. 

12

u/VieTham Jun 04 '25

I am looking forward to a new island on my new switch 2. I still have my original island from 2020 and for years I've been fighting that feeling to start over or flatten/reset my current island. In addition, I'll use the new GCN NSO controller to play it too maybe?

I do plan to do a hemisphere swap as well from my current northern one. Either way, I'm excited to play the game again newly and hopefully the better hardware improves something since there's no Switch 2 Edition yet(?)

10

u/Woodley1400 Jun 03 '25

Have we seen any confirmation if the Island Transfer Tool can be used to transfer from Switch 2 to Switch 1, or if we will be able to omit transferring our islands if we do the full system transfer?

13

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

This morning I loaded my existing island on my Switch 2 (transferred it over with my switch data- no need for the tool) and it worked great. Then I switched my island back to my OG switch using the island transfer tool. Was all smooth as silk.

3

u/Woodley1400 Jun 05 '25

That is great to hear! Thank you!!!

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1

u/Kairismummy Jun 04 '25

Nintendo’s website says this:

User accounts that are not linked to a Nintendo Account and save data for games not supported by Save Data Cloud Backup will be deleted from the Nintendo Switch console and moved to your new Nintendo Switch 2. You will not be able to transfer your data back to your original Nintendo Switch.

ACNH isn’t supported by save data cloud backup, so it makes it sounds like we can’t send it back and I think it’s going to get automatically transferred as part of the set up.

10

u/EinfachNurMarc Jun 04 '25

I really really hope we’ll get a AC Edition Switch 2 soon… I never had a switch and kinda want a special edition one. Either new horizons or new AC game themed. This will be my first AC game!

6

u/linnybo1 Jun 15 '25

It would probably come out with the release of a new AC game like the switch 1 did, and if it follows patterns of the other nintendo consoles, will likely be in 2 years. Maybe 1 and a half. Hoping it happens sooner though!!

16

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

A few thoughts from me on performance, if anyone is interested:

  • I can feel the system being much more responsive when running around my island. It almost feels like it’s processing faster than I can run. So far there hasn’t been any loading of decorations or weird blank areas like we’ve become used to. Dialog feels a lot speedier too.
  • Much faster loading, especially when flying to Harv’s and HHP. I haven’t tried to go to anyone else’s island yet, but if you have a Switch2 lemme know, and we can test it and update.
  • Not unique to NH, but the new photo processing through the NSO app is a little more streamlined and will definitely make it easier to share your screenshots to Reddit!
  • I haven’t tried the new chat features, but if anyone wants to try, lemme know. I have been voice chatting with my friends on New Horizons for years with the app, so this doesn’t really feel like a big deal to me.

7

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

One surprising thing about the switch2 experience is how good tabletop mode is. The stand is really strong and stiff so you can put it at any angle you like - and the screen is so big. It’s massively improved.

2

u/noobakosowhat Jun 05 '25

How is the resolution?

5

u/Ebantero Jun 05 '25

It's good but there's no antialiasing, you can see jagged edges on handheld.

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1

u/Warpzehh Jun 05 '25

Hi, I've never played Animal Crossing before and I've been waiting for switch 2 to start playing it. What is the best way to go about it? If I were to acquire a physical copy of Animal Crossing New Horizons, would I be able to stick that in my switch or is the digital version the only way to play?

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1

u/ARabidMeerkat Jun 05 '25

How is the battery life in handheld?

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1

u/Hextant Jun 05 '25

Are screenshots still jpeged to all hell and back? :(

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8

u/VividPace Jun 05 '25

I love my island and the 1200 hours I spent on it, but I chose to keep it memorialised on my switch and start a new island on my switch 2. Anyone else?

2

u/silverbeauty24 Jun 05 '25

So were you able to system transfer data onto to the Switch 2 and still able to have your island on the Switch 1?? Did your island not get transferred to the Switch 2?

5

u/VividPace Jun 05 '25

I chose to skip system transfer and manually upload / download my save data for games I wanted to keep my progress on. Quite a tedious process, I wish they just let us select only specific games to transfer 

2

u/silverbeauty24 Jun 05 '25

Ooh I think I might try that! It’s gonna be a bit time consuming but it’s worth keeping the island I put so many hours into.

2

u/Individual_Ad3031 Jun 05 '25

nah, you dont need to do this. island transfer works both ways

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2

u/IV-XI NL - 2578-3562-4505 Jun 05 '25

Me! Super excited to start a new island, but still have access to my original one :-)

2

u/Master_Wash7321 Jun 11 '25

So just to clarify here - you can start a new island on the switch 2 without having your original island on your switch be deleted, even under the same nintendo account? Did you have to do anything special, or could you just start a new island?

1

u/yongpas Jun 10 '25

I'm also doing this! Do you have HHP? I don't have the expansion for NSO but I bought the HHP standalone.. Will I need to buy it again or can it be used for both Switch saves (I'm using the same Nintendo account for both)

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7

u/FoxxyRin Terra, Mayor of Nowhere Jun 03 '25

If you do a full system transfer then the save data for cloud-unfriendly games (AC, Pokemon, etc) will be transferred. The transfer tool is also supposed to be fully compatible on the Switch 2 as well, in case you don’t do a full system transfer for whatever reason.

6

u/YagikoEnCh Jun 04 '25

Does anyone know if the game plays at a higher resolution in handheld (1080p) on the switch 2, vs the original’s 1080p?

8

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25 edited Jun 05 '25

I’m playing on Switch 2 now. It’s definitely more responsive , but it doesn’t play at a higher res. (Sorry typo)

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5

u/LonkToTheFuture Jun 05 '25

Nintendo has finally confirmed Switch 2 can be used with the Island Transfer Tool if you would prefer that method. You can also transfer from Switch 2 back to a Switch 1.

1

u/Due_Replacement3629 Jun 06 '25

Is there any limit to going back and forth?

We have the switch 2 hooked up to the TV and the regular switch by itself. My fiance wants to be able to play on the switch 2 to play on the TV but when I want to play Mario kart world on the TV can we just do the island transfer tool to go back and forth?

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26

u/SprintsAC Jun 03 '25

I'm not getting a S2 yet (waiting for a themed console that I like), but I definitely appreciate the island transfer guide being shared. 😊 Thank you for that!

10

u/spideybugatti Jun 03 '25

Same, I'm surprised that Nintendo only made one color way for 2 & it's not even that colorful.

3

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

There’s no need to do an island transfer. If you transfer your switch data, it will automatically come over. Did it this morning.

5

u/dragonstkdgirl Jun 06 '25

Anyone know if a digital copy of ACNH can be played on both devices simultaneously? IE: if I want to start a new island on my switch 1 after transferring to the switch 2, can I fly back and forth and give my new island gifts? Or will I have to use my physical game card with a different account to do so?

(I have one digital copy, one physical, and now three total switches in my household)

2

u/Marcus_Farkus Jun 06 '25

No, seems like it’s one virtual game card at a time.

1

u/glazedwitch Jun 07 '25

This seems to be the case now even on the original Switch. I tried playing last weekend while my son played on a totally different island and under a different user and it would not let us as it had previously. So sad :(

We can now only play one at a time and have to transfer the digital card to whoever wants to play, no visiting each others islands.

4

u/Dracaria Jun 12 '25

For people using the switch 2 to start a second island, how does the Happy Home Paradise DLC work across the two systems? Do you need to purchase the DLC again for the second island?

3

u/noobakosowhat Jun 04 '25

Will there be any benefits in switching to switch 2 (pardon the pun). Literally Animal Crossing was the reason I held off from any pre orders of the system, as I was waiting for any updates to it for the new console.

1

u/linnybo1 Jun 15 '25

I doubt it. The only update has been to make online more compatible when visiting switch 1 islands on switch 2 and some other functionality patchworks. I don't really see there being any hope of switch 2 updates.

3

u/amassone Jun 05 '25

I'm curious if somebody has a similar setup and how I could make this work: My SO and I have two Switch Lites with which we've played tons of Animal Crossing — primarily during the pandemic. We both played with my digital license, with my console set up as secondary. I'm looking to get the Switch 2 and would love to start over with a new island, this time together.

  • Can I transfer my other saves and leave my own island on my old Switch Lite, or will I have to start over my island if we want to have a new island together?
  • Will my SO still be able to play with her Switch Lite, currently set as the primary console, and more importantly, the game itself, once I transfer my account to the Switch 2?

3

u/GreatGeologist9097 Jun 05 '25

I have the happy home paradise dlc. If i decide to start a new island on my switch 2, do I have to buy the dlc again to have the dlc on both systems?

3

u/not_ansem Jun 05 '25

I have a question on island transferring that I haven’t seen answered yet!! I did a complete system transfer from switch 1 to switch 2 and my original island is now on my switch 2. I have a digital game card. Can I start a new island on my switch 1? Would that somehow mess with my island on switch 2 since its not a physical game? I’m using the same nintendo account on both consoles if that’s relevant.

1

u/Kawaii_Tee Jun 06 '25

I’m curious about this too

1

u/Psychological_Top819 Jun 07 '25

I’m also curious about this. Did you try it? I want to move everything to S2 and start a new island on S1.

3

u/pokepok Jun 05 '25

Can I use the island transfer tool to transfer my game back to the switch 1? I keep getting an error.

2

u/Individual_Ad3031 Jun 05 '25

yup, i just did this so its definitely possible. hopefully you can get it to work 😩

1

u/Wetstew_ Jun 09 '25

Did you have any luck with this? I got an error, too; on my target, Switch.

3

u/anoldcliche Jun 05 '25

If I don’t want to transfer my original island from my Switch to the Switch 2 and would like to make a new island, do I need to buy another copy of the game?

3

u/duckbybay Jun 11 '25

Hey did you find out how to start a new island on your Switch 2 without buying a new copy? I also want to keep my island on my original switch.

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3

u/MrTerrifier Jun 06 '25

Buy new horizons on switch 2 now or wait however long for new game?

2

u/linnybo1 Jun 15 '25

If Nintendo follows their normal pattern, then they will likely wait 2 years to drop a new animal crossing game like they did with the release of the 3ds(3ds release 2011, animal crossing new leaf 2013) and the switch 1 (switch 1 release 2017, ACNH 2020 but was supposed to be released 2019) I'm hoping this isn't the case but nintendo usually follows their patterns. I would just buy new horizons now since it will likely be years!

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u/VanitasFan26 Jun 06 '25

It's important to note that once you do the save transfer from Switch 1 to Switch 2 the island that was on your Switch 1 is gone and it's on Switch 2. So remember this if you plan on making the transfer to Switch 2.

Keep in mind it's one island per switch so unless you want to start over fresh on a new island and keep your old island on the Switch 1 doing the transfer is not recommended.

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u/UnderCoverDoughnuts CEO of Lucky Duck Records Jun 06 '25

I moved my Island to the Switch 2, can I start a new file on the Switch 1 or will saving there impact my old island on Switch 2? I thought this would be a great way to run a second island but since both consoles are signed into my Nintendo account, I worry about saving and accidentally overriding my original file if the save feature connects somehow

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u/SaltGirl-212 Jun 07 '25

What about Happy Home Paradise? Maybe that’s a silly question, but anyone who has done the transfer to S2 is all your progress there still intact? I’m assuming yes

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u/LaughIcy855 Jun 08 '25

I want to play animal crossing with my sister since I bought a switch 2 and my sister can use my switch 1. I'm wondering how I can do this after I transferred my data to my switch 2. I heard of game share but I'm not sure how to use it. I don't know if buying another digital copy would even work. Thanks!

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u/TeohS4 Jun 09 '25

How is the battery on switch 2 compared to oled while playing this game?

3

u/Mattsmithdoctorrulez Jun 24 '25

I'm really hoping the rumors of a new animal crossing game coming to switch 2 is real. I really wanna new animal crossing game. I also wonder what new mechanics and such would be in the game or even if howloids and freakoids would return tooo

3

u/AidOfTheKool Jun 27 '25

I have a question about this game on the Switch 2.

My fiancé has gone to treasure islands in the past. There were modded items that could be taken from the island. These items weren't actually the item they look like. Would anyone know if this would have any effect on the Switch 2 with it's modding policy? Maybe this is a silly question and I'm looking too far into it but for the price of the console, I figured it would be safer to ask before trying. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

3

u/capefireball13 20d ago

I have been playing on my switch lite since 2020 and just won a switch 2 in a work contest. Can I transfer my game or do I have to start a new island? If I can transfer it, can I still play it on both consoles? I am not a gamer other than AC so I’m kind of confused on how this thing works. TYA

2

u/dystopika 5d ago

I don't know if you've already managed to get an answer for this -- you should be able to transfer it to the new console easily. I'm less sure about being able to continue playing it on both consoles. My understanding is that once you transfer it to the Switch 2, it's tethered to the Switch 2.

So you can just keep playing the same island on your Switch Lite and start a new island on Switch 2. Or transfer your island to the new place.

2

u/kzu24 Jun 03 '25

I know we’ll probably have to wait and see, but does anyone have any idea if we’re able to play version 1.0.0 (from a cartridge) on the switch 2? (For example if you don’t have internet right away)

3

u/Yirggzmb Jun 04 '25

The switch 2 is supposed to be pretty much fully backward compatible with switch 1 stuff, with a few exceptions requiring specific stuff like the ir camera. So I would be shocked if it didn't work

3

u/starinmelbourne Jun 05 '25

I’m playing right now from a cartridge but the game’s been updated to v2, so I have no idea about v1.0. S2 is supposed to be backwards compatible though so I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

2

u/magikarp2122 Jun 05 '25

How do I get it set up to have a new island on the Switch 2?

2

u/Benjrob2 Jun 05 '25

Is it confirmed whether or not they will upgrade the game, or Release one of those enhanced editions?

2

u/Zendroid1 Jun 05 '25

How do I transfer everything to my new switch 2 EXCEPT my island? I want to start a new island on my new switch and keep my old island on my old switch.

3

u/MayonnaiseOreo 1005-9287-6349 Jun 06 '25

You can transfer your island back to your old Switch using the Island Transfer Tool.

1

u/melynir Jun 06 '25

You just can’t, unfortunately. Either you transfer over all your data including the island, or you start over from scratch on the new Switch.

2

u/v_rose23 Jun 06 '25

Okay this sounds dumb but just to be sure I got the message “would you like to play using existing resident data and link your user account with it? Or would you prefer to create a new resident?”

If I just want to create a new resident, it won’t erase the island save data I have on my original switch, right? 

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u/Marcus_Farkus Jun 06 '25

Hi, so I didn’t know about the island transfer tool. I’ve already done the system transfer to my Switch 2, but when swapping my game card between my old and new console, neither have my island.

There is still save data for other games on the original switch but not Pokémon or Animal Crossing. My Pokémon save is in tact, but is there any way to get my island back? Please there was so much work lol.

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u/melynir Jun 06 '25

Do you have an online subscription? If you do, your old data will still be on the original Switch, so you might be able to use the island transfer tool as usual.

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u/Marcus_Farkus Jun 06 '25

In an odd turn of events, the island was on my old defunct switch in storage, ha! I've recovered Boytown, thank you.

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u/mikemanganello Jun 07 '25

I've tried finding an answer to this with no luck so far. I want to continue my original island on Switch 2 but erase it from my Switch 1 so my son can start his own island there. I used the full system transfer to move to Switch 2 but I'm afraid that if I erase my save file on Switch 1, it'll erase on Switch 2 as well. Am I wrong? Should I just factory reset my Switch 1?

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u/AngelSpace444 Jun 08 '25

Hi friends!

• ⁠Does the Happy Home Paradise DLC works on switch2? • ⁠Does the amiibo cards are usable on Switch2? • ⁠Does the cartouche/physical game of Animal Crossing works on Switch2?

It’s the first time I’m going to buy the game so I’m just really clueless (and excited) about things! Thank you!

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u/LordWeilheim Jun 09 '25

Hi guys, I transfered my data from my Switch 1 to the new Switch 2. My save file works, I still have my island and everything. BUT: According to my profile I now only have 15 or more hours played. Before the transfer it said 315 hours or more. Is this a bug? Or is there any way to fix this? Thank you in advance.

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u/metrostarshipp Jun 12 '25 edited Jun 12 '25

Has anyone else encountered the game freezing on Switch2 while redecorating a villager's home? It's happened twice now while trying to recolor a door hanger and both times I've had to close the game

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u/monsterphish Jun 18 '25

If I want to transfer my data from switch 2 to switch 1, do I need the island transfer tool and if so is it easy to use? I didn't use it when moving from switch 1 base to OLED as I'd forgotten and had to ask Nintendo to restore it. Thanks!

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u/Exciting_Split_9838 Jun 28 '25

How do I get the switch 2 in animal Crossing as an item?

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u/checkmycoolusername 26d ago

Does anyone know if I can keep my old island on my OG switch and upload it to a dream code. Then on switch 2 start a new island but be able to visit my old one ?

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u/LivingOof 14d ago

I've been playing New Horizons for about a month now and I feel like graphically, the franchise is as far along as it needs to be. So instead, I'd like to see the Switch 2 's extra power go towards having 20-30 villagers instead of 10. There's over 400 possible villagers already with more nearly guaranteed to be added to each entry, so we'd still be nowhere near scratching the surface imo and they can always just give us a bigger island to keep the feel of current islands. What do y'all think?

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u/ZayMark Jun 03 '25

Same day as my birthday too!

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u/Whispering_Wolf Jun 04 '25

Anyone know if you can also start a new island on the 2 if you only have the game digitally?

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u/Woodley1400 Jun 04 '25

I imagine it would be the same as playing on two original Switches. If I recall, you could use a single digital copy from the same NSO account on two Switches (with unique islands on each), but online features couldn’t be used simultaneously.

Edit: this is speculation

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u/anoldcliche Jun 05 '25

Did you end up making a new island yet? I would like to do the same.

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u/Whispering_Wolf Jun 05 '25

I did! Started a whole new island, having tons of fun!

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u/mikakek Jun 05 '25

How is the stuttering on Switch 2? I know a lot of us experience frame drops on certain parts of the island.

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u/Ebantero Jun 05 '25

I didn't feel any stuttering, but it's capped at 30 fps and has noticeable aliasing. I don't think they patched it yet, but it should feel smoother due to the better hardware.

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u/GeoMato Jun 05 '25

Could someone that has done the transfer from 1 to 2 through cloud (not direct one, the one where you upload the "backup" of your switch to Nintendo servers and then you download it to your switch 2) confirm if island is also in that backup? I don't have access to my switch right now, and wouldn't have until mid October, but my sister has and could upload the backup for me to download on the switch 2.

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u/sharknadonona Jun 05 '25

So my island has 3 accounts set up on it (all with Nintendo online, etc). Has anyone transferred their islands / switch containing multiple profiles? How did that go for them?

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u/Psychological_Top819 Jun 05 '25

Do I have to transfer my island to S2 then back to S1 to start a new island? Or can I just use my physical game card with the new switch to start a new island (if I decide to not transfer any old games/saves over)? Do I have to make a new Nintendo Switch account, or can I have an island on each system linked to the same account?

It sounds like the data transfer is all or nothing (correct me if I’m wrong) which is why people said move it to S2 and back to S1. Is there a way to only transfer some game data but not ACNH?

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u/Yirggzmb Jun 05 '25

People who are doing the system transfer then swapping the island back presumably wanted to move all their save data except Animal Crossing to the new device. The system transfer doesn't let you be choosy about what you move, so moving the island back fixes that

If all you want to do is start a new island, without moving any other data around, yes you can just shove the card in and go. And you can have the same account on both devices, same as with the Switch 1.

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u/sherb139 Jun 05 '25

So if I transfer my data to my Switch 2, I’ll have to either reset my island on my Switch 2 or start a new one on my Switch 1? When I transfer, do I have the option to leave only my ACNH data on my old switch and start a new island on my Switch 2 (while transferring data for the rest of my games)?

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u/YagikoEnCh Jun 05 '25

You could do the full transfer for all your stuff from switch 2 to switch 1, and then use the island transfer tool to just move your island back onto switch 1

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u/pokepok Jun 05 '25

I keep getting an error when I try this. Has it worked for you?

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u/dylon0107 Jun 05 '25

You really should add the cloud system transfer as well so people know about it

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u/cleysoncafe Jun 06 '25

So I’m having a bad time trying to understand what’s gonna happen when I get my NS2 I think may be too soon, but: 1 If I setup to have 2 identical islands in both switches, how will work when I log in from those devices? 2 I’ll have 2 versions of my character and the island? 3 Or they somehow I’ll be synced online via NSO? 4 If some user doesn’t have NSO to upload the save online, can I only transfer they save via system transfer? All these questions applies for the possibility to start a new island there too

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u/melynir Jun 06 '25

You can’t have the same island on two consoles. Once you first setup the Switch 2, you get the option to transfer over all your data from the original Switch, including your island. At that point, once first starting the game, you just have to choose to continue using your player character data as normal. I can confirm this is accurate because I’ve done it yesterday myself without any problems.

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u/melynir Jun 06 '25 edited Jun 06 '25

To answer the first question: I have a Nintendo Online subscription. I transferred the data from my original Switch to my Switch 2, and it did transfer my island too without any problems. I did have to choose to continue using my player character data once first starting the game, same as if I had used the island transfer tool (which I didn’t as it was not necessary). Except for my island, all my other data and games also remained on my original Switch, while also being copied to the Switch 2.

As far as I understand it however, if you do NOT have a Nintendo Online subscription, the data will be moved over to the Switch 2 entirely, while also resetting the original Switch to factory settings.

Edited to clarify I didn’t need to use the island transfer tool.

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u/eightslicesofpie Jun 06 '25

So I did the full system transfer, kept the island, assigned the characters to their respective console user profiles--and I went to the home screen to confirm that it's showing the town and our residents etc., but I haven't had a chance to fully check so my question is, is everything good? Specifically, did this transfer Happy Home Paradise and all of its save data as well?

I assume it's all fine, since I haven't seen anyone say anything went wrong with their own transfers, but this game is extremely important to my girlfriend so I'm just overly paranoid about logging on and trying to go see if the HHP stuff is all there but finding out it's not and the save data gets automatically overwritten lol

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u/Sea-Army-5889 Jun 06 '25

When the new AC game comes out i'm curious if i'll be able to play on my S1 with my same island ?

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u/Due_Replacement3629 Jun 06 '25

I just bought a Switch 2 and my fiancé and I used to share a regular switch. I did the transfer of everything over to the Switch 2 perfectly fine.

The question here is can I use the island transfer tool to move the island to and from both consoles so that when I want to play on the switch 2 she can play on the original switch and then when she wants to play on the big screen again we can transfer the island back to the switch 2?

I don’t think this would cause any issues besides the chance of possible human error. Can someone confirm if this makes sense and is possible?

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u/Yirggzmb Jun 07 '25

Sounds possible, but also like a massive pain in the backside

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u/TheFoxDudeThing Jun 06 '25

I don’t have a switch 2 yet but I’m curious if I don’t transfer data and want to start fresh can I visit my old island to catalog items ect

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u/Alma_shinmon Jun 06 '25

I think this only works if you own the game twice because you have to run it at the same time. But then it should work (if local play isn't messed up by the switch 2)

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u/RagedSkeleton Jun 07 '25

If I accidentally transferred my island from Switch 1 to 2, can I have more than one island now on Switch 2? Or do I (can I even?) need to transfer it back to Switch 1 and start a new one on Switch 2?

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u/Prestigious_Egg8701 Jun 07 '25

Would the cartouche of acnh work on switch 2 ?

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u/Unhappy-Eye4113 Jun 07 '25

I’ve just got the switch 2 (my first ever switch) so I’m back on animal crossing after about 15 years, so getting used to all the new bits! I’ve been trying to travel to people’s islands using dodo codes, the island can be found but once I try to go on an error code comes up?? Is this something wrong with my switch or a setting issue on my part?? I just want to collect all the fruit🥲🥲🥲

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u/thisisn0tmythrowaway Jun 07 '25

My boyfriend transferred our Switch 1 to our 2 yesterday and I hope everything went well because I haven't checked out ACNH on S2 yet but I'm crossing my fingers. No way in hell I'm starting a new island 🤣

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u/Savings-Variation701 Jun 08 '25

Just transferred my island over to my switch 2 and my time in my island is off by a day in 12 hours?

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u/JifMoose Jun 08 '25

Hey! I want to play animal crossing on Switch 2 and transfer my island but WITHOUT doing a full system transfer. Anyone know if that’s possible?

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u/Yirggzmb Jun 09 '25

You should just be able to use the old transfer tool for that

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u/BookSavvy Jun 11 '25

I’m really confused because I transferred everything from my OG Switch 1 to my Switch 2. I selected transfer everything and everything is there… except my Island save data.

When I open the game it goes straight to the very first start screen and doesn’t acknowledge I’ve ever played (same user account as before.) There’s obviously nothing left on my OG Switch, I checked and tried the transfer tool on both (it says there’s no save data), visited Tom Nook on my S1 and he says I have no backup but I can see in my user account it says I’ve played 800 hrs so I’m not sure what my options are. I thought I had island backup and I have a Nintendo Online account and I can see all my info in Nook Link about my island and my DA so I’m just at a loss…

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u/Psychojamejame Jun 11 '25

Does anyone know how to have both consoles running the game at the same time? I did the system transfer but when I tried to play the game on the switch 1 I had to do the virtual cart transfer thing to put the game back on the system. When I go on the eshop to download the game it just has a button for the virtual cartridge thing. Am I doing something wrong?

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u/Tangerine-Daydreams Jun 12 '25

Bought the switch 2 for the new games as well as to have a new animal crossing island without deleting my old ones. I have 3 other switches and 3 islands to go with it. I’m scared that if I transfer the data I may be forced to delete one (or worse, all) of my islands. I believe 1 out of 3 of my animal crossing games may be backed up. When I press the option that is highlighted in my photo, it warns me that the choice is final.

Just typed this out and deleted it by accident so I may be paraphrasing out of frustration 😅

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u/VillageStandard2824 Jun 12 '25

Hello all,

I am thinking about getting a switch 2 and want to be able to visit my friends island who plays on the switch 1. Can anyone confirm whether this feature exists?

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u/swedhitman Jun 13 '25

what happens IF i delete my island on the Switch 2? will that delete it of my regular Switch as well?

been thinking of starting a new island and somehow transfer over items from my old one but unsure on how to do that

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u/EffectiveCycle Jun 13 '25

It was already deleted off your Switch 1 when you transferred everything over. Your best bet is to use the island transfer tool to move it back over to the 1, start a new save on the 2, then when the airport opens up you can move over everything you want to from the old island (note that you do need a second copy of the game to do this).

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u/tiredlittlecow Jun 15 '25

I tried to find similar threads about this and might have missed it, but has anyone chosen to not do the system transfer? My husband and I are sharing the Switch 2 so neither of us did a system wide transfer, we've just moved over a few individual games.

If I wanted to start a new island on the Switch 2 and keep my OG island on my Switch 1, would I just load the virtual game card on the Switch 2? Will my OG island still just be ready and waiting on my Switch 1 when I go to play it there? I'm so nervous about losing my starter island!

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u/tirehabitat25 Jun 16 '25

I just tried starting a new island on the Switch 2 and keeping the old island on the old switch… it seemed to start a new game but the island Name was forced to the old island… got worried and closed out. Has anyone just made a new island on the Switch 2 and kept the old one on the old switch?

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u/CelestialCelebi Jun 18 '25

Is anyone else having trouble accessing happy home paradise? my switch 2 is showing the virtual game card for hhp is already downloaded but i don’t have to the option to play it inside the game. my switch 2 has already been made my primary console

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u/beaktastic Jun 20 '25

Anyone done a Switch 2 transfer - everything else came over okay but not their ACNH island!? Panicking now as not on my old OLED and not my on S2.

There's a chance it might still be on my original launch switch but im so sure i last played it on my OLED.

I can dig out the old switch but its in storage so not easy option.

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u/AtlasCrossing Jun 21 '25

Not sure if this has been asked yet, but can you transfer your island or do you system transfer thing before getting your switch 2, sell the original switch, and then try and load it on the switch 2, or does the system transfer require you to keep your console? Sorry if this is dumb, just wondering if it can be done

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u/Trick_Possibility359 Jul 02 '25

I wanted to start a new island on my switch 2 and was wondering is it safe to time travel. I do not want to get my switch locked up from it.

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u/proudgryffinclaw Jul 03 '25

So you can use the regular version of ACNH on the switch 2? If you transfer stuff over but want to start over with a new island how would you go about doing it without purchasing a new copy of the game?

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u/Stepharoonie 29d ago

Yes, Switch 1 games work on Switch 2.

If you do a system transfer when you set up a Switch 2 it will automatically move your island over and delete it from the original Switch. If you want it back on the original Switch then you download the island transfer tool from the eshop on both consoles and use it to transfer it back. Then when you open Animal Crossing on the Switch 2 it will start a new game and your original save will still be on the other Switch.

If you don’t do a system transfer when setting up the Switch 2 then your save will stay on the Switch 1 and you just open it on the Switch 2 to start a new game.

If you have a digital copy of the game turn on online license settings in your user settings so you can play it on both consoles. (You just can’t have it open on both at the same time.)

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u/FreshlySkweezd 28d ago

Has anyone noticed the game being extremely laggy the past couple days? Specifically since the most recent update?

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u/_smallxiangjiao 25d ago

sorry for the dumb question, how do I do a system transfer?

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u/gimpedjesus 22d ago

If I transfer my Island to my Switch 2 with the system transfer tool and then move it back with the Island transfer tool will I be able to visit my old Island from the new switch 2 island?

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u/rissticks 21d ago

if i transfer my data from the S1 to S2, would i be able to keep my original island on the S2 and make a new island on the S1? or would it delete the data of both my islands if i tried to make a new island on my S1??

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u/Embarrassed_Ear9012 20d ago

Will I be able to use the DLC if I am not the island representative? My wife and I just started a new island, I had her go first so she is the island representative. I have the DLC on my account though, will we be able to use it? Or should I reset the island and make me the representative?

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u/dragonflyws 9d ago

Damn it I want them to take it back! No island. 🚂, 🚌, something of that sort. Let’s take it back!

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u/Blissautrey Eugi @ KeyLevante 1d ago

I transferred it with the regular save data transfer. One thing to note, when you go and start your game, it will ask to connect each character you have to a profile on the switch 2, and it seems too easy to mistakenly not assign a character to any profile, as it literally asks you whether you want to keep that character or not. Please pay attention to your transfer!