Can You Get a Villager Back After They Leave?
The bittersweet nature of Animal Crossing: New Horizons often revolves around our beloved villagers. Forming bonds, decorating their homes, and sharing daily life with them makes their departure all the more impactful. So, the question arises: Can you ever see a villager return to your island after they’ve moved away? The short answer is yes, but it’s not straightforward and often involves a bit of luck and specific conditions.
Understanding the Dynamics of Villager Departures
When a villager decides to move out, they will express their desire with a thought bubble above their head. If you agree to let them go, they will pack up their belongings and depart the following day. This leaves an empty plot on your island. At this point, the villager is effectively gone from your island’s database, and you can’t simply call them back like a lost pet. However, this isn’t necessarily the end of the road.
The “New” Old Villager
The primary way you might encounter a former villager is through random encounters at other players’ islands, through island hopping using Nook Miles Tickets, or at the campsite. If you invite a villager back through these methods, it’s important to understand that it’s not the exact same character you knew before. Think of it as a “new version” of your old friend. Their memories of you won’t carry over, and their house will be back to its default state.
The 16 Villager Rule
There’s an important rule to consider when attempting to get a specific villager back. You can only invite a villager from another town once you have moved out at least 16 other villagers. This prevents the potential for easy cycling of specific characters. The game needs to ensure that the character database is varied and that you are not simply re-inviting the same few villagers constantly.
The Boxed Villager Loophole
Interestingly, when a villager is “in boxes,” meaning their belongings are packed in their home and they’re preparing to leave, they are still technically a part of your island’s ecosystem for that single day. If you regret letting a villager leave, you have a small window of opportunity. You can have another resident of your island speak to the villager and potentially change their mind. However, once the day ends and they have moved out, that window is permanently closed.
How to Increase Your Chances
While bringing back a specific villager is largely reliant on chance, there are steps you can take to improve the possibility:
- Island Hopping: Use Nook Miles Tickets to travel to mystery islands. There’s a chance you’ll encounter a villager who has moved off your island, but it’s random.
- Visit Other Islands: Visit friends’ islands, or other player islands and see if any of your old villagers are currently in boxes, meaning they are ready to move out. You can invite them to your island if you have an open plot.
- Amiibo Cards: If you happen to have the Amiibo card of your desired villager, you can scan it at the Resident Services kiosk. This will bring them to your campsite, and you can invite them to live on your island. Amiibo cards work only once a day, however.
The Realities of Villager Rotation
Remember that villagers may ask to move out more than once, but not within a five-day period, and the same villager can’t return within 15 days. The game randomly chooses villagers who have a high enough friendship level to ask to leave (low friendship doesn’t trigger departures more often).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I cancel a villager’s move-out if they’re already in boxes?
Unfortunately, once a villager is packed in boxes, there is no way to change their mind yourself. The only chance you have is on the day a villager has a thought bubble where they ask to move out. You have the rest of that day to get another player to speak to the villager to convince them to stay.
2. How many villagers do I have to move out to get an old one back?
You need to have moved out at least 16 villagers before a former resident can randomly reappear and possibly move back onto your island through other methods, such as a campsite visitor or through island hopping.
3. What happens to my villager’s house after they leave?
The day after a villager moves out, their house will disappear, leaving an empty plot of land. This plot will be available for you to invite a new villager in.
4. Can I get the same villager multiple times in a row?
Yes, it’s entirely possible to get the same villager multiple times. The game utilizes random mechanics, so you could potentially encounter the same villager repeatedly when island hopping or from the campsite.
5. How do I stop a villager from moving out after they’ve asked?
If you want to keep a villager who has asked to move, prompt them to stay. This immediately ends their thoughts of moving, and a five-day timer starts where no other villagers can ask to leave. They also will not be able to ask again to move until you tell another villager to stay.
6. Are there some villagers that are rarer than others?
Yes, the rarity of villagers is based on species, not personality. Octopus villagers are the rarest, followed by cows, bulls, rhinos, and alligators.
7. Can I use Amiibo cards to get an old villager back?
Yes, you can use a villager’s Amiibo card to invite them to your campsite. If you wish, you can then get them to move to your island.
8. Can a villager ask to move out twice in a row?
No, a villager cannot ask to move out more than once in a five-day period. Additionally, a villager cannot return to your island within 15 days of moving out.
9. Can Isabelle make a villager move out?
Isabelle cannot directly force a villager to move. However, if you repeatedly complain about a villager to Isabelle, it might encourage them to move out after a few days. It is not a guaranteed method though.
10. Does bullying a villager make them leave?
While bullying a villager by hitting them or repeatedly pushing them may make them want to leave, it is not a guaranteed method. It also isn’t a very nice way to play the game.
11. What happens if I give a villager their own gift back?
If you accidentally regift a villager an item they previously gave you, they will have unique dialogue about it, as they remember their gift.
12. Can I invite two villagers in the same day?
You can only invite one villager from another island per day or one villager per day from mystery islands. You must have an empty plot available.
13. What happens if I tell a villager not to leave?
If you tell a villager to stay, they will immediately change their mind, and no other villager can ask to move for 5 days. They also will not ask to move again until you tell another villager to stay.
14. Does talking to a villager too much make them leave?
Talking to a villager too much can cause them to get “burnt out” and not want to talk to you for a while, but it will not cause them to want to leave your island.
15. Can the villager that just moved in ask to move out?
No, your most recently moved-in villager cannot request to move out from your island. The game ensures they are not one of the options to move.
Final Thoughts
Bringing back a former villager in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a possibility but depends on a combination of luck and active effort. While you can’t force their return, understanding how villager turnover works and utilizing methods like island hopping and Amiibo cards will improve your chances. Remember that, when they do return, they are a “new” version of your old friend, and their memory of you will not carry over. Enjoy the process and the unique experiences each villager brings to your island life.