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Switch 2’s Animal Crossing Still Has Time To Learn From ACNH’s Biggest Has-Been

July 27, 2025

Hunting for the perfect decorations and villagers for an island has been a favorite pastime for Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH) players ever since the game launched. In a cozy game with very few real challenges or trials other than filling the museum, the idea of creating their perfect island is often a leading goal for people enjoying the experience. Having this kind of objective can transform a casual game like ACNH from one that is played for just a few days to one that truly captivates its players for several years.

The popularity of certain villagers in ACNH is a necessary part of what makes the game thrive. Going to island after island to search for that perfect NPC to join your community can feel tedious at times, but if it wasn’t there, then it could leave the game feeling stale and boring. One character has become a prime example of how this phenomenon works, going from celebrity status to just another cat, seemingly overnight.

Why Raymond Was So Popular – And Why He Isn’t Anymore

Once A New Character Who Was Hard To Get, Now The Thrill Is Gone

Raymond joined the Animal Crossing roster in New Horizons, and not only possessed both the looks and attitude but also a was very elusive and coveted villager to locate. Raymond truly had it all and instantly became the most popular character in the game. He inspired memes and internet forums devoted to him. Players would spend millions of Bells and Nook Miles Tickets looking for him, and those who were lucky enough enjoyed the bragging rights that came with him.

Say Goodbye To Your Dream Animal Crossing Game

Animal Crossing has come a long way since its initial release, but New Horizons may have taken the franchise past a point of no return.

His adorable character design added to his status, as many players love how cute he is, not to mention the fact that many players have islands featuring all cats.

This leads to a tricky conundrum of whether it is better to allow players who really want to skip the hunt and use an amiibo card to get their coveted villager to have that option.

His fame didn’t last, however, and it is partially the fault of Nintendo. The introduction of amiibo cards made getting Raymond, and any other coveted villager, incredibly easy to get, which therefore also took away the thrill of the chase. Today, players can easily purchase a real, or even fake, amiibo card pretty cheaply and immediately invite any villager, including Raymond, to their island without the need to spend time and Bells hunting them down.

Switch 2 Needs To Avoid A “Raymond Problem”

Is It Better To Have Villagers Easily Found?

This leads to a tricky conundrum of whether it is better to allow players who really want to skip the hunt and use an amiibo card to get their coveted villager to have that option, or if doing so simply devalues the game by taking away one of the main gameplay mechanics. After all, unless someone is using Treasure Islands to get all the items and money in the game, there are still plenty of other things to seek out, particularly for those players who like to decorate or theme their islands.

It could even be argued that being surrounded by your preferred villager neighbors could make the other aspects of the game more fun. After all, these villagers can become virtual friends who players interact with every day, and it could feel disappointing or even lonely to live on an island with characters you don’t like.

Animal Crossing New Horizons screenshot of a character and Lily sitting on a log in the rain.

After 5 Years, I’ve Swapped Animal Crossing For Another Cozy Obsession – And It Feels Like A Real Upgrade

After five years with Animal Crossing, I finally found a new cozy game that offers more freedom, variety, and depth—and I’m not looking back.

The next Animal Crossing game for the Nintendo Switch 2 has the difficult problem of trying to address this problem. It’s fun for the community to have villagers like Raymond to bring them together, and create some great memes, but perhaps shifting the attention to decorations and other things is just as good. Animal Crossing: New Horizons fans loved talking about the search for Raymond, but there’s plenty more fun to be had in the game too.