Hit the Beach with Animal Crossing New Horizons’ Summer Update

With June and wedding season wrapping up in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you might be wondering what’s next for Nintendo’s smash-hit island sim. The answer is a big new Animal Crossing summer update that sees the return of features like swimming, as well as a few familiar faces.

The Animal Crossing summer update is actually split into two parts. Part one of the summer update goes live on July 3. As with all other previous Animal Crossing updates, this one’s completely free.

The big new feature is swimming. Just like in New Leaf, you’ll don a wet-suit and head out into the ocean whenever you please, then dive down to nab new deep-sea creatures for the museum.

You might run across Pascal the philosophizing otter as well. If you find a scallop for him — another item you’ll dive for — he’ll reward you with a DIY recipe for furniture in the Mermaid furniture set.

There’s also a second new encounter with the Animal Crossing summer update — sort of. Gulliver finds his way back to your island’s shores, but this time, he’s wearing some rather distinct, pirate-like apparel.

Part two of the summer update is planned for early August. And while we don’t know exactly what it might bring, the big fireworks background behind the announcement and the fact that Animal Crossing always has a summer fireworks show is probably a hint.

Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more Animal Crossing: New Horizons news as it develops.