How to Evict Villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons: A Comprehensive Guide
So, you’ve got a villager on your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons that you’re just not vibing with. Maybe they’re cramping your aesthetic, perhaps their personality clashes with your other residents, or maybe you just need some fresh faces. Whatever the reason, you’re ready to show them the door. While there’s no explicit “kick out” button, there are definitely ways to encourage a villager to pack their bags and move on. The process boils down to a combination of patience, strategy, and a little bit of in-game manipulation. Essentially, you’re aiming to influence the game’s internal logic to trigger a specific event: the villager thinking about moving away.
The primary methods involve ignoring the villager, building relationships with other villagers, and, for the more adventurous, time travel. There’s also the Amiibo card method, which provides a more direct, albeit slightly less organic, route to villager eviction. It’s important to remember that success isn’t guaranteed, and the process can sometimes take several days or even weeks. Understanding the mechanics at play will increase your odds of success, and prevent any unintentional evictions.
Effective Strategies for Saying Goodbye
1. The Neglect Method: Ignore, Ignore, Ignore!
The cornerstone of most eviction strategies is intentional neglect. This doesn’t mean actively harassing the villager; instead, it means acting like they don’t exist.
- Avoid conversations: Don’t talk to them, even if they approach you. If they try to initiate a conversation, simply walk away.
- Keep your distance: Avoid walking near their house or areas they frequent.
- Don’t fulfill requests: If they ask for a favor, politely decline or simply ignore the request altogether.
2. The Friendship Formula: Show Love to Everyone Else
While you’re ignoring the unwanted villager, shower your other residents with affection. This can subtly influence the game’s decision-making regarding who should stay and who should go.
- Talk to your favorite villagers daily: Engaging in frequent conversations strengthens your bonds with them.
- Give gifts regularly: Thoughtful gifts are a great way to boost friendship levels.
- Fulfill their requests: Help them find lost items, deliver packages, or craft items for them.
3. The Amiibo Ace: A Direct Eviction Notice
Using Amiibo cards offers a more controlled method of villager eviction.
- Invite an Amiibo villager to your campsite: Scan their Amiibo card at the Nook Stop.
- Fulfill their requests: You’ll need to invite them three times and complete their crafting requests each time.
- Ask them to move in: After the third visit, they’ll agree to move in. If your island is full, they’ll suggest replacing a current resident. You get to choose which villager to evict, ensuring complete control.
4. The Time Travel Tactic: Fast-Forward to Farewell
Time travel can speed up the eviction process, but it comes with potential drawbacks, such as missed events and overgrown weeds.
- Time travel forward 15 days: This often triggers a villager to have a thought bubble indicating they want to move.
- Look for the thought bubble: Check each villager every day until you see the thought bubble over the head of the villager you want to evict.
- If it’s not the right villager, time travel forward one more day: Repeat this process until the desired villager has the thought bubble.
5. The Isabelle Illusion: Filing Complaints (It’s Not What You Think)
While Isabelle can’t directly evict villagers, complaining about their behavior or clothing might subtly influence the game’s algorithm over time.
- Complain about their clothing: Repeated complaints might indirectly make them a candidate to want to leave.
- Complain about their way of speaking: Again, this is not a direct method, but some players believe it can contribute to the overall desire for the villager to move.
Important Considerations
- The most recent villager: The most recent villager to move in cannot be asked to leave right away. A certain amount of time has to pass.
- Patience is key: Eviction is not an instant process. It can take several days or even weeks of consistent effort.
- Accidental evictions: Be careful not to accidentally befriend the villager you want to evict, as this can reset the process.
- New villagers: After a villager moves out, there’s a cooldown period before another villager will ask to leave.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Villager Eviction
1. Can I kick out my starting villagers?
Yes! While your initial villagers hold a special place in your heart, they are not immune to the eviction process. The methods described above apply to them as well.
2. Does hitting a villager with a net make them want to leave?
This is a common misconception. Hitting a villager with a net will only annoy them temporarily. It doesn’t significantly influence their decision to move. It might even have the opposite effect, solidifying their presence.
3. How long does it take for a villager to ask to leave?
There’s no set timeframe. It can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on various factors, including your friendship levels with other villagers and the game’s internal logic. Consistency in your chosen method is key.
4. Can Isabelle directly kick out a villager?
No, Isabelle cannot directly evict a villager. She can only address issues related to their clothing or speech patterns, which might have a very subtle indirect impact.
5. What happens to a villager when they move out?
When a villager moves out, they pack their belongings into boxes and spend their last day on your island reminiscing. The next day, their house is empty, and a “sold” sign appears on the plot. They disappear from your island forever (unless you encounter them again on a Mystery Island tour or another player’s island).
6. Can I invite a villager from another player’s island?
Yes, if a villager on another player’s island is in boxes and ready to move out, you can invite them to move to your island if you have an open plot. This is a great way to acquire specific villagers you’re looking for.
7. Is there a limit to how many villagers I can have on my island?
Yes, you can have a maximum of 10 villagers living on your island at any given time.
8. Can a villager move back to my island after they’ve left?
It’s possible, but unlikely, unless you actively seek them out and invite them back. The game’s algorithm prioritizes new villagers you haven’t encountered before.
9. Does ignoring a villager lower my island rating?
Ignoring a villager will not directly lower your island rating. Island rating is primarily affected by factors like the amount of furniture and flowers on your island, the presence of weeds, and the overall development of your town.
10. What if I accidentally become friends with the villager I want to evict?
If you accidentally increase your friendship level with the villager you want to evict, simply revert to the neglect method. Stop talking to them, giving them gifts, or fulfilling their requests.
11. Can villagers move out without asking?
Villagers will always ask before they move out. They’ll have a thought bubble above their head, indicating they’re considering leaving. You’ll have the option to encourage them to stay or let them go.
12. Does the time of year affect villager movement?
There’s no concrete evidence to suggest that the time of year directly affects villager movement. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that villagers might be more likely to ask to leave during periods with fewer in-game events.
13. Are some villager types more likely to leave than others?
There’s no inherent bias toward specific villager types. The decision to move is based on a combination of factors, including friendship levels and the game’s internal algorithm.
14. Is it cruel to try to kick out a villager?
Ultimately, this is a matter of personal opinion. Animal Crossing is a game, and the villagers are not sentient beings. If you’re not enjoying a particular villager’s presence on your island, there’s nothing wrong with trying to encourage them to move on. It’s all part of the gameplay. The Games Learning Society values discussions around the ethics of gameplay and encourages thoughtful interactions. Learn more at GamesLearningSociety.org.
15. What do I do after a villager moves out?
Once a villager moves out, their plot will be empty the next day. You can then go on Mystery Island tours to find a new villager to invite, or wait for a random villager to move in automatically. You can also use an Amiibo card to invite a specific villager to fill the plot.
Kicking out a villager in Animal Crossing: New Horizons requires patience and strategy, but it’s definitely achievable. Choose the method that best suits your play style, be consistent, and eventually, you’ll be waving goodbye to your unwanted resident. Good luck, and happy island designing!