Why won’t one of my villagers leave?
Finding that one villager is making a home in your island permanent? You’re not alone in the struggle! In this article, we’ll uncover the reasons behind villagers’ determination to stick around and provide you with ways to encourage them to leave.
How villager movement works in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
When you first start playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons, you might notice that sometimes villager friends come and sometimes go. But have you ever found yourself wondering why some villagers want to stick around, while others suddenly decide to pack their bags?
According to the game’s developers, moving is a random event that can trigger due to a 15-day cooling off period after a villager departs. This means that no village member will want to move out to replace the departed villager if this period is active. Isn’t that frustrating?
During this time, the game follows an algorithm to decide which villager may or may not move out depending on various factors. It’s still somewhat random, so you shouldn’t count on a specific villager becoming the next to leave.
Effects on friendship
You must’ve noticed that sometimes your villagers display annoyance or disdain towards each other. Low friendship levels, including those caused by hitting, only affect specific interactions like gifts or letters. These tensions have no bearing on the move-out decision, so those catty comments won’t have you laughing all the way to departure – unfortunately!
Ways to encourage villager exit
If you’re tired of this seemingly permanent resident, here’s an exclusive list of strategies to encourage him to make a departure:
• Trade with others nearby but not with them – Show an interest in the goods of other travelers passing by your island. This strategy boosts the likelihood of the problem villager leaving.
• Intentionally break village unity – Keep to one island and focus on strengthening relationships with multiple friends. This could lead to mixed blessings, as other villagers follow this trend and more friends mean fewer departures.
• Invite new faces – More villagers = more potential escape artists! New faces offer various interactions, but remember our main goal here: part ways with the stubborn villager who just won’t budge, err, leave!
• Ignore – Disregarding any attempts to interact usually increases the likelihood of departure. For that one villager creating so much fuss, just shelve the conversation, and hope you receive a parting move letter.
How to kidnap or kidnap villagers? Is this even allowed?
Be gentle, and please: only kidnap in emergency circumstances! In rare cases you’ve been trying to remove unwelcomed villagers, river boating is the ticket to a swift exit (of sorts). Use sturdy wooden boats and try pulling their vessel out of circulation for a few minutes for, uh, a ‘transport’. Please keep in mind it’s against the intended mechanics, so only consider alternatives mentioned above or seek your preferred online strategies.
Summary & Additional Tips
• Each villager has an independent preference; it’s not you; it’s them.
In an effort to avoid upsetting villager morale, the designers took measures to keep the peace rather than encourage a chaotic, drama-prone departure.
Try some of these tips strategically without relying solely on force
Your patience is a virtue on our peaceful little island