Summer has been long and dry for Animal Crossing: New Horizons after months with few updates containing new content. The lack of fresh gameplay has been frustrating and disappointing after the large summer updates of 2020 that introduced the swimming and diving mechanics used to explore the water surrounding player islands. However, the 2021 Fireworks Show seasonal event update is more disappointing than other recent lackluster events, as it potentially confirms that future updates will continue to rehash previous content with minimal changes.
For many, the start of the warmer months in Animal Crossing: New Horizons was originally anticipated with excitement. Last year, New Horizons introduced many new mechanics throughout the year to keep gameplay interesting, like the Fall update's pumpkin farming, and the continued introduction of new visiting NPCs. It was hoped New Horizons would continue the trends of 2020 and build on previously updated content, or introduce new mechanics to help bolster long-term playability for those who had already completed most of the game's original objectives.
On July 29, 2021, the 1.11.0 Animal Crossing: New Horizons update went live. The update included this year's content for the August Fireworks Show event, as well as special seasonal items available for purchase through Nook Shopping. According to Nintendo, fireworks will be on display over villager islands every Sunday in August at 7 PM. Like last year, players can design custom fireworks through Isabelle and participate in Redd's raffle, but with new 2021 prizes added to the mix. While these activities are a fun way to end the summer, Nintendo has done little to make the 2021 fireworks unique, creating a dull rehash of last year's event.
Nintendo Has Promised More Free Animal Crossing Content Later In 2021
One of the biggest reasons the 2021 New Horizons firework update is disappointing is that it doesn't stand up to the 2021 events released earlier in the year. For May Day, a whole new maze was added to encourage players to join in and celebrate events, and International Museum Day included a fun stamp collecting task that took players through each of the exhibits in the museum. However, more recent events like Wedding Season and the Fireworks Show have added no such changes, giving players little incentive to engage beyond grabbing the new seasonal items.
Currently, there hasn't been any information on what Nintendo has planned for future repeat New Horizons events like Halloween and Turkey Day. Due to few seasonal events between August and October, there is the possibility something new could be added to help pass the time and give players something to look forward to. Nintendo confirmed that another update with free content is planned for the coming months, but hasn't mentioned when this update can be expected. This means that for the time being, Animal Crossing: New Horizons players will have to make do with the repeat fireworks event and episodic gameplay.
Source: Nintendo