As the unofficial game of “Not freaking the fuck out” during our quarantined spring and summer, Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons has allowed players to confront many of their worst fears during these hectic times: Debt. Invasions of their personal space. Tarantulas. But when it comes to the ocean—that big blue puddle o’ fear—the game has so far been reticent to let the healing begin. Sure, you can conquer the denizens of the seas, ripping them from their gill-coddling home with your trusty fishing pole and then sell them to your unscurpulous landlord. But to swim in the primordial birthing ground itself? Madness!
But no longer, as Nintendo announced today that it’ll soon be launching a new update for New Horizons, on July 3, that will allow you to finally submerge yourself betwixt the briny deeps—and then start harvesting all its glorious bounty into your sack so you can shove it in your museum or bank account, as per usual. The free Summer Update—one of two planned for the coming months—will also include a handful of new villagers, who will presumably spend their days begging your for your crap or offloading their crap onto you, i.e., becoming a valuable member of the island paradise community. You will also be able to make a couch out of seashells.
The Summer Update: Wave 1 arrives on July 3.