Can Villagers Move Out Without Telling You in Animal Crossing?
The short, direct answer is: No, in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, villagers cannot move out without telling you. This is a significant change from earlier games in the series, where villagers could pack their bags and leave without so much as a goodbye. In New Horizons, a villager will always approach you with a “thought bubble” over their head, indicating they are considering moving. They will then ask for your opinion, giving you the opportunity to either encourage them to stay or agree to their departure. This system puts the power firmly in the player’s hands, allowing for a more controlled and predictable experience. Let’s delve deeper into how this system works and what you need to know.
How the Move-Out System Works in New Horizons
The move-out process in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is designed to prevent the sudden, unexpected loss of your beloved villagers. Here’s a breakdown of how it functions:
- The “Thought Bubble”: When a villager is considering moving, they will display a white thought bubble above their head. This bubble signifies that they have something important they want to discuss with you.
- The Conversation: When you talk to a villager with a thought bubble, they will express their desire to move away from your island. They might mention wanting to see new places, or simply feeling like it’s time for a change.
- Your Decision: You will be presented with two dialogue options: to tell them to stay or to allow them to move.
- Encouraging them to Stay: If you tell them to stay, they will happily agree, and their plans to move will be canceled. This also resets the timer before another villager considers moving out.
- Allowing them to Leave: If you agree to let them move, they will begin packing their belongings, and their house will be empty the following day.
- No More Surprise Departures: The key takeaway here is that in New Horizons, there will be no more cases of logging in to find a beloved villager’s house suddenly empty. You will always have the chance to intervene and prevent a villager from leaving if you wish.
Understanding the Nuances of Villager Movement
While the core mechanic of requiring player permission before a villager moves is consistent, there are some finer details to understand:
- Time-Based System: The game operates on a hidden timer that determines when a villager will consider moving out. This timer is roughly around two weeks but isn’t always exact, and it resets each time a villager asks to move, whether you tell them to stay or go.
- No Fixed Pattern: There isn’t a set pattern of who will want to move out, it’s based on a random selection, which means your favorite villager could very well be the next one thinking of leaving.
- Influencing the Process: While you cannot directly choose which villager decides to move, you can influence the process by interacting (or not interacting) with them. Neglecting or “bullying” a villager, though not guaranteeing departure, may increase the likelihood of them wanting to leave over time.
- The 11th Villager Exception: The only time a villager may seemingly move without your permission is if you are inviting an 11th villager to your island. When your island is full and you invite a new villager via a campsite visit or from another island, the game will force a move-out. You are, however, prompted to pick from a list of current residents who will be evicted to make space. This differs from the spontaneous departures of previous games.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Villager Move-Outs
Here are 15 frequently asked questions, providing even more insight into how villager movement works in Animal Crossing: New Horizons:
1. Can villagers move out on their own in New Horizons?
No, not without your explicit approval. Villagers always need to talk to you before they leave, ensuring you’re in control of your island’s population.
2. Can villagers get mad if I talk to them too much?
Yes, sometimes. Talking to a villager multiple times in a short period might cause them to get irritated. They might show a “thought bubble” and express a need for space, but it varies by personality type.
3. Can I bully a villager into leaving?
While bullying through hitting them with nets, pushing them, or ignoring them might decrease friendship, it doesn’t guarantee they will leave. It’s not a reliable method.
4. Do villagers gossip about you?
Yes, villagers do gossip about players and spread these memories to other villagers. These gossips can be based on various actions, adding depth to the interactions within the game.
5. Can I stop a villager from leaving?
You have partial control by telling them to stay when they ask to move. But, you cannot prevent them from asking to leave in the first place.
6. Are there any rare villager types?
Yes, some species are rarer than others. For example, octopus, non-animal, and tiger villagers are less common.
7. Can my first two villagers move out?
Yes, your starting villagers are not immune to the move-out system and can move just like any other villager.
8. Why do villagers sometimes stare at you?
Villagers will stare at you if you run within a certain distance of them. This behavior is part of their programming and doesn’t indicate anything negative.
9. Can villagers leave without asking in previous Animal Crossing games?
Yes, in games prior to New Horizons, villagers could move away without any warning, which sometimes meant logging into the game to find your favorite neighbor’s house empty. This is one of the biggest improvements introduced with New Horizons.
10. What happens if I never talk to a villager?
Villagers can still move out, even if you never interact with them. However, they won’t “ping” you to initiate a conversation about it; they’ll be the ones with the white “thought bubble”. This makes it vital to keep an eye on all villagers, regardless of your feelings towards them.
11. Can Isabelle remove villagers?
Isabelle can’t directly remove villagers, but reporting issues with a villager repeatedly might indirectly encourage them to leave in time. There is, however, no guarantee it will work.
12. How do I kick out a villager without time traveling?
The most consistent method is to talk to every villager except the one you want to leave, give gifts to everyone else, and essentially ignore the targeted villager. After a while, they are more likely to get the “thought bubble”.
13. Does hitting a villager lower friendship?
Yes, repeatedly pushing a villager or hitting them with a net will decrease your friendship points with them.
14. How long does it take for a villager to move out?
Approximately every two weeks, a random villager will get the urge to move out. This timeframe is reset each time someone wants to leave, whether they leave or not.
15. What does it mean when a villager has a purple swirl above their head?
A dark purple cloud with a swirl above a villager’s head signifies that they are sad or sick (only indoors). In New Horizons, they will typically be inside their homes when this happens.
In Conclusion
The system in Animal Crossing: New Horizons ensures that you, the player, are in control of the population on your island. The era of random, unexpected departures is over, replaced with a system that offers transparency and allows you to make informed decisions. While there’s no way to completely manipulate which villagers want to leave, understanding these mechanics can help you keep your favorites and even move on the villagers you don’t want. Remember to engage with your villagers and keep an eye out for those crucial thought bubbles, ensuring you remain the benevolent ruler of your island paradise.