The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To download Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise through Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, open Nintendo eShop on your Switch, select Nintendo Switch Online in the left menu, then choose the DLC under Expansion Pack Content and select Download. You also need the base game and an active Expansion Pack membership; membership does not install the DLC automatically.
What you need before downloading
- An active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. An eligible user can also access the DLC through a Family Membership that includes Expansion Pack.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons or Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. The game is required separately; Expansion Pack membership does not include the base game.
- An internet connection. Nintendo says the console needs to connect when launching the game to verify membership access.
Nintendo says the DLC must be downloaded to the system before you can access its content. See Nintendo’s instructions for accessing Happy Home Paradise.
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Download the DLC from Nintendo eShop
- From the Switch HOME Menu, open Nintendo eShop.
- Select Nintendo Switch Online in the left-side menu.
- Under Expansion Pack Content, select the Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise DLC icon.
- On the DLC page, select Download under Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Content.
- Wait for the download to finish, then update and start Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
When you can start working at the airport
Downloading the add-on does not immediately unlock its in-game work option. Nintendo lists these prerequisites: Resident Services must be upgraded from a tent, you must have attended Tom Nook’s DIY workshop, and you must have a house rather than a tent. Once those conditions are met, allow at least one day for the airport option to appear. Then visit the airport and ask to go to work. Nintendo’s access instructions cover these progression requirements.
If Happy Home Paradise does not appear or launch
- Search for the DLC in Nintendo eShop and check the status shown on its page. If your membership provides access and it is not installed, the page should offer Download.
- If the page shows Proceed to Purchase instead, Nintendo says that user does not own the DLC or have membership access. Confirm that the account has an active Expansion Pack membership.
- Check that the console is online. Nintendo says an internet connection is needed at game launch to verify access through membership.
- Update Animal Crossing: New Horizons. If access still fails, Nintendo lists deleting and redownloading the software or DLC among the troubleshooting steps.
- Check the game’s version area for a filled house icon. Nintendo describes it as an indicator that the DLC is downloaded and the user has access.
For further steps, follow Nintendo’s troubleshooting guide for being unable to access DLC.
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![Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Happy Home Paradise - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51JAzQozLgL._SL160_.jpg)
- Take in-game photos of your designs and add them to your portfolio. Show them to other characters and you may get more requests to create vacation homes. Share the photos with other players using the in-game Showroom in the Happy Home Network app and they can tour your personally-designed resort islands or go tour theirs for some relaxation and inspiration.
- Purchase the Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Happy Home Paradise DLC from Nintendo eShop, or download and play it as part of an active Nintendo Switch Online plus Expansion Pack membership at no extra cost.
Membership access or a separate DLC purchase?
Expansion Pack access is available only while the membership is active. Nintendo says a separately purchased copy of Happy Home Paradise can be played indefinitely. It also says DLC save data is stored on the console, so you can resume after renewing your membership or buying the DLC separately.
| Access method | How long access lasts | Cost and launch requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack | While the membership is active. | Included at no additional cost during eligible active membership; an internet connection is required when launching to verify access. |
| Separate DLC purchase | Indefinite, according to Nintendo. | Separate purchase required. Nintendo’s US FAQ listed $24.99 on its 2021 FAQ page; check your regional Nintendo eShop for the current price. |
Nintendo’s Happy Home Paradise and Version 2.0.0 FAQ explains purchase and save-data access. A separate purchase of the DLC is not the same as the base game, which remains a requirement.
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