Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers much of what the series is known for: expanding and decorating your house, outdoor activities, and a cast of colorful characters. But the new title features a different way on how you meet those colorful characters. Here’s how to get more villagers to live on your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Get More Villagers to Live on Your Island

In previous Animal Crossing games, your town would grow in population somewhat randomly. One day, a house would appear suddenly and your town would have a new visitor.

New Horizons handles growing your town with more active tasks, such as players needing to find the potential villagers and recruit them.

Talking to Villagers on Other Islands

One way to recruit villagers is by seeking them out on other islands.

Early on in the game, Tom Nook gives you a free Nook Miles Ticket which allows you to visit other islands to gather different resources and wildlife. These islands can also contain villagers that can be recruited by simply talking to them. These loners will pine to you about a place they can call home themselves, and you can choose whether they come with you or not.

They don’t immediately come with you though. Back on your island, Tom Nook will hand a building kit so you can plot out where this new villager will live.

Once you select a spot, you then have to furnish the house with several pieces of furniture, that can be crafted, before the villager comes to make it a home. The full list of items required can be found on the numbered box outside the building construction area.

After you’ve used your free Nook Miles Ticket, you’ll then have the option to buy more for 2,000 Nook Miles each from the Terminal in Resident Services.

Using the Campsite

Give it about a week or so, and eventually Tom Nook will ask for your help setting up a campsite on your island. You’ll be given the tent kit that then needs to be placed somewhere on your island. When you do, you’ll then need to wait a day for it to be built.

From then on, you’ll find random villagers come and stay at your campsite. Isabelle will mention whether or not a villager is staying at the campsite during your morning briefing.

Simply go and speak to the villager and they’ll talk about how much they like your island. Tell them to move, and then follow the steps to ensure their house is set up. By the next day, you’ll have a new villager in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Getting Specific Villagers to Move to Your Island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

If you’re wanting a specific animal to move to your island, you’ll need to have either their amiibo figure, or their amiibo card.

When you do, you’ll want to use the amiibo icon option on the terminal in resident services. Place the amiibo figure or card of the villager you want against your Nintendo Switch until it registers.

You’ll now be able to go and speak to that specific villager at your campsite. Ask them to move in, get their house plot sorted out, and wait a day.

Time needed: 1 hour

In short, here’s how to get more villagers to live on your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons:

Use a Nook Miles Ticket at your island’s airport to travel to a different, smaller island.
Can be purchased at the Nook Stop machine inside Resident Services for 2,000 Nook Miles, though a free ticket is given away at the start of the game.
Convince the potential villager to come back to your island.
Talk to Tom Nook and he will give you a building kit.
Select where the new villager will live on your island.
Check the numbered box at the construction site for a list of furniture.
Craft/buy the necessary furniture and place in exterior or interior of the construction site according the numbered box.
Wait for new villager to move in officially.
Alternatively, use the campsite and amiibo/ amiibo cards to get more villagers in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

That is how to get more villagers to live on your island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Be sure to check back with Twinfinite for more news and our comprehensive wiki for more guides on the game.