Animal Crossing: New Horizons runs on a seasonal schedule. This means different bugs, fish, and collectable items can only be found during certain times of the year. So, what features will be rotating back into the game this August, and how much do Animal Crossing fans have to look forward to?
Last year's summer updates to New Horizons were expansive. Wave One and Wave Two both added major long-term features to the game, like allowing players to swim. Long-term features are something that's been highly demanded since then as player interest seems to wane. Wet suits and sea diving, new characters and events, and more helped to significantly refresh New Horizons for returning Animal Crossing fans, and hopefully this year's summer content could do the same.
While there's been no definite word on when the next major Animal Crossing update could come, previous release patterns indicate that it's likely to come out sometime before 2021's holiday season; more specifically, before the end of the summer. This seems even more probable due to the fact that Nintendo claimed in June that new content would be coming to New Horizons in the near future. August 2021 seems like an ideal release window, if that's the case, based on last year's updates. Regardless of the possibility, though, there's bound to be some familiar events to look forward to this August as well.
August 2021 Brings Familiar Events & Items To Animal Crossing New Horizons
The first major event worth noting is New Horizons' August Fireworks Show, which in 2020 occurred every Sunday throughout the month. During firework nights, players can talk to Isabelle outside of Resident Services to receive a wearable accessory and can also win one of 13 raffle prizes from Redd throughout the evening. While the fireworks show may not be as interactive as other New Horizons holidays such as Bunny Day, it's a fun opportunity to bring friends over to the island to celebrate the end of summer. Animal Crossing has typically improved upon returning events from last year, which means it's also likely that something new will be introduced to August 2021's Fireworks Show.
New and returning seasonal Nook Shopping items are also likely to appear this August thanks to the probable re-introduction of events such as the Grape Harvest Festival and Moon-Viewing Day. Certain types of bugs and fish will also be moving in and out of season as August 2021 approaches. Players should be sure to check August 2020's Animal Crossing guides for their hemisphere to keep track of what will be coming and going, particularly those Animal Crossing: New Horizons players who may have missed out on last year's events.
