Expanding your island population in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the most exciting aspects of building your dream getaway. Players start their journey with just two animal neighbors, but you can eventually host up to ten villagers at once. Understanding how to invite new residents efficiently helps you curate the ideal community for your island.
Laying the Groundwork with Housing Plots
Before new neighbors can move in, you must provide proper housing space on your island. Early in the game, Tom Nook will task you with setting up three distinct housing plots after you help construct Nook's Cranny. Once Resident Services upgrades to a proper building, you can purchase additional plots from Tom Nook for 10,000 Bells each.
It is important to manage these plots carefully to control who moves into your neighborhood. If an empty plot remains unreserved for too long, Tom Nook will automatically assign it to a random prospective buyer. Setting up one plot at a time allows you to search for specific characters without risk of autofill.
Finding Characters via Mystery Island Tours
Traveling to mystery islands is one of the most effective methods for recruiting new animal neighbors. By redeeming Nook Miles at the Nook Stop terminal, you can purchase Nook Miles Tickets to fly out from the airport. Whenever you have an open plot on your home island, a random villager will spawn on these deserted locations.
When you encounter a character you like, simply speak with them twice to invite them to move to your island. If you do not meet a character that suits your preference, you can use another ticket to try your luck on a new island. This method gives you direct choice over who fills your vacant housing plots.
Utilizing the Campsite and Amiibo Cards
Constructing a campsite on your island opens up additional avenues for attracting potential residents. Visiting villagers will occasionally stay at the campsite, giving you the opportunity to play games and convince them to stay permanently. The very first campsite visitor must be invited to move in to progress the game's storyline.
Once the campsite is fully functional, you gain the ability to scan amiibo cards using the Nook Stop terminal. Scanning a card summons that specific character directly to your campsite. Completing crafting requests for them over three separate days will convince them to move into your town.
Adopting Villagers from Other Players
Another popular strategy for expanding your population is adopting villagers from other players' islands. When a villager decides to leave another player's town, they will pack their belongings into boxes on their final day. Visiting another player's island during this "in boxes" phase lets you invite that character to your own island.
To successfully adopt a moving villager, you must have an active open housing plot available on your island. This player-to-player trading system makes it much easier to track down your favorite popular characters. Maintaining ten active villagers creates a vibrant, bustling environment for your daily island activities.
