The first free summer content update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons arrives on July 3. The update will not only bring back another returning character, Pascal, but it will also introduce the ability to swim, and Nintendo has revealed a bit more about how it will work.
Just like in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, you will need a wet suit to swim in New Horizons. After the summer update, you will find wet suits for sale at Nook’s Cranny along with the other tools. After buying one, just put it on and you can take a dip in the ocean around your island.
While swimming, you can also dive underwater and catch new sea creatures like starfish and garden eels, which you can then donate to Blathers for display at the museum. If you find a scallop while diving, the aforementioned Pascal will appear, and you can swap it for a new DIY mermaid recipe (and otter wisdom core).
A second free summer update for New Horizons is coming this August. Nintendo hasn’t revealed what that update will contain, but the graphic that accompanied the announcement featured fireworks. Animal Crossing fans will remember that there will be a fireworks show every Sunday night in August in the previous games, so it looks like the fireworks show will be back, too.
Meanwhile, players in the northern hemisphere can still find summer shells, a limited-time seasonal material that can be used to craft DIY summer-themed recipes. Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can also claim an exclusive free mat for Animal Crossing.
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