Nintendo have announced the next free update coming to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, including fireworks shows, dreaming, island backups, and more.

As stated in the press release (via Business Wire and email) the update will add weekly firework shows with raffles for festive items (you can even customize the fireworks with your patterns). Players will also be able to use online services to visit other islands as a “dream” so nothing is altered or permanent.

Finally, the update will add an island back-up feature (separate to Nintendo’s Save Data Cloud) in the event a Nintendo Switch is lost or damaged. Information on how save-data could be preserved was quietly updated when a trailer was re-uploaded back in late February.

You can find the full rundown and additional screenshots (via Business Wire) below. Editor’s Note: We have also added the relevant footnotes from the press release.

• Fireworks Shows – Enjoy atmospheric fireworks lighting up the sky above your island every Sunday in August at 7 p.m. Get in the spirit by redeeming Bells for raffle tickets in the plaza to get various festive items that you can use. Put your personal spin on the fireworks display by using your own custom design pattern to see it shot in the air as a firework in the sky!
• Dreaming – You can now choose to take a nap in any bed placed in your home.** While dozing off, you may find yourself in a strange realm where you’ll be greeted by Luna. Luna offers visits to other islands as a dream, and with her help, you can share your island as a dream with others too.*** She will grant those who share their island a “Dream Address” which players can exchange and use to visit each other’s island in a dream. In dreams, nothing is permanent because nothing you do is saved, so explore to your heart’s content.
• Island Backup & Restoration Service – Nintendo Switch Online members can enable the new island backup service, which automatically uploads island and user save data to the internet at certain times. If your Nintendo Switch system is lost or damaged, you may be able to recover your island paradise as long as you’ve enabled island backup. In the event of loss or damage, contact Nintendo Consumer Support about restoring the island and user save data on your new or repaired Nintendo Switch system. After your island data and individual player data is restored, you can get back to building your island community!**** Additional details can be found on the Nintendo Consumer Support page when the update goes live. The island backup feature is separate from the Save Data Cloud functionality offered for select Nintendo Switch games through Nintendo Switch Online. A function specific to Animal Crossing: New Horizons to move users and save data to another system is planned for later this year. Details will be announced in the future.

[…]

**Players will need to upgrade their tent to a home in order to access the dreaming feature.

*** Nintendo Switch Online membership (sold separately) and Nintendo Account required for online features. Not available in all countries. Internet access required for online features. Terms apply. nintendo.com/switch-online

****Recovery is only available in situations where a Nintendo Switch system is lost, stolen or damaged. A new or repaired Nintendo Switch system is required. An active Nintendo Switch Online membership is also required.

The Summer Update Wave 2 launches July 30th. The next free update will launch in Autumn. UPDATE: You can find the announcement trailer below.

Unlike the first Summer Update, most of this information was not leaked from a recent data-mine of the game. This is sure to bring good news to fans hoping for surprises.

In other news, Animal Crossing: New Horizons has reportedly become the best selling game during the first half of 2020 in Japan, with over an estimated 5 million physical copies sold.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is out now on Nintendo Switch. In case you missed it, you can find our review here (we recommend it!)