I refuse to sell villagers

[elphieluvr]

Am I weird for not being able to stomach the thought of selling or trading my villagers, even the ones I don’t like? It feels weird to me to sell them off like they’re property or something. I think I have too much sentimental attachment to villagers for my own good. I also wanted to send a villager to a friend’s island for holding so I could open up a spot on my island, but in the end I couldn’t bear to tell her to move out. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings lol. My animal neighbors are my virtual friends, I have emotional connections to them, and I don’t think I could let myself buy or sell one. Does anyone else feel this way or am I just super weird?

Note that there is no shade intended to anyone who does do this, nor am I complaining about so-and-so’s high going rate or whatever. The going “prices” are irrelevant to me because I don’t participate anyway. I’m just genuinely curious if I’m the only one this sentimental about my villagers!

(ps, hi, I’m new here! Nice to meet y’all.)

 

[CowKing]

I can understand where you're coming from, but some players just want to be able to have the villagers that fit the aesthetic of their town or the villagers they've had an emotional connection to from previous games. Like Mathilda is literally no one's favorite and she's not the most... appealing. But I love her to death and I would do anything to get her in my town.

Also welcome to the Bell Tree Forums!!

 

[lucitine]

Meanwhile, there's me, who has been accused of villager trafficking by my husband

Not that I've sold anyone yet.

For me, I don't have much of an emotional connection to the villagers beyond "this one is cute and I like him/her". For me, selling a villager is just selling a set of pixels.

 

[elphieluvr]

I can understand where you're coming from, but some players just want to be able to have the villagers that fit the aesthetic of their town or the villagers they've had an emotional connection to from previous games. Like Mathilda is literally no one's favorite and she's not the most... appealing. But I love her to death and I would do anything to get her in my town.

oh I totally get that. I‘ve spent hours grinding for NMs hoping to get my dreamies from mystery islands. I have a list of 10 villagers that I will have on my island one day, do or die. But my conscience won’t let me pay flat out pay bells to another player to acquire them.

 

[CowKing]

I'm not trying to invalidate your opinion, OP, I actually really applaud you for forming connections with your villagers! It shows you really care about them and that's super valid. Sometimes I've found myself doing the same thing. Like I wasn't a Ketchup fan until she came to my campsite the other day and I just fell in love with her.

 

[Sansy]

Wendy is moving out of my town so one of my friends who wants her is going to come over and ask her the move into her town. I kinda like being able to do that for my irl friends if I have a villager they'd like to live in their town, but I can't imagine like... actually SELLING the villager to someone, ya know?

No shade or grudges to people who do that. I actually find the whole villager trade scene fascinating even though I don't plan to participate. It's really interesting to see how much currency/items people are willing to trade for certain villagers. I can't say I've ever been surprised by who the most popular villagers are, but sometimes I'm surprised to see villagers I really like falling into the lower tier lists people post.

 

[radical6]

its basically villager trafficking if u think about it.

 

[elphieluvr]

Wendy is moving out of my town so one of my friends who wants her is going to come over and ask her the move into her town. I kinda like being able to do that for my irl friends if I have a villager they'd like to live in their town, but I can't imagine like... actually SELLING the villager to someone, ya know?

exactly how I feel. I got lucky on a few of my mystery islands and took villagers I didn’t want because I figured someone in my irl friend group would. But I draw the line at asking them to pay me for my good luck.

I like the phrase villager trafficking lol. Again, no judgment if that’s how you play, but it is a funny phrase.

 

[CowKing]

Wendy is moving out of my town so one of my friends who wants her is going to come over and ask her the move into her town.

Woah, we have the same experience! Recently, Wendy moved out of my New Leaf town and my irl friend really wanted her because he had her in his original town so I let him have her for free, he actually found her again in New Horizons. it's like bloody destiny or something

 

[Bugs]

If that's what your conscience tells you then that's fair enough. I have a similar kind of guilt when I talk to them sometimes,

Like the other day Bangle (peppy) had me give a present to Mac (jock), it was a dolly shirt which really didn't suit him but I just didn't have the heart to tell him that it wasn't a great look. So now he's wearing it loud and proud around the island

 

[Jas]

i'm not against it at all (i've bought one!) but i have always found the concept of buying and "auctioning" or selling off villagers a lil funny LMAO

i've given away some villagers before in new leaf, but i can see why people are so keen on selling or auctioning, especially now when people are willing to pay crazy prices for some. the villager is moving out anyways, so it's an easy way to make money without excessive work. i totally get what you mean about feeling sympathy for them though!

 

[unintentional]

I'll just give villagers away (or ask for something basic like a few roses to breed) tbh. I have Judy in my town who I promised to give to my sister because she's one of her dreamies.

with how much some villagers are "worth" (as well as how mail is rn so eBay and etsy for the cards may not be the best route), it'll be hard for some players to get the villagers they really want.

I respect the hustle for sure, but I can't see myself doing it lol

 

[elphieluvr]

with how much some villagers are "worth" (as well as how mail is rn so eBay and etsy for the cards may not be the best route), it'll be hard for some players to get the villagers they really want.

I respect the hustle for sure, but I can't see myself doing it lol

Yeah I get the frustration for sure, especially for those new ones with no amiibo cards. I also have a very high level of patience that some of the friends I play with do not share, so I get wanting to fill up your island with your dreamies as quickly as possible.

I did buy a few amiibo cards and was shocked at how fast they shipped to me give the current state of affairs. Postal workers are the real MVPs, bringing me my Marina card and saving my day.

(Yes, I have no problem with buying the cards. It’s only once I meet the characters in game that they become “real” to me.)

 

[thelonewanderer]

Am I weird for not being able to stomach the thought of selling or trading my villagers, even the ones I don’t like? It feels weird to me to sell them off like they’re property or something. I think I have too much sentimental attachment to villagers for my own good. I also wanted to send a villager to a friend’s island for holding so I could open up a spot on my island, but in the end I couldn’t bear to tell her to move out. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings lol. My animal neighbors are my virtual friends, I have emotional connections to them, and I don’t think I could let myself buy or sell one. Does anyone else feel this way or am I just super weird?

Note that there is no shade intended to anyone who does do this, nor am I complaining about so-and-so’s high going rate or whatever. The going “prices” are irrelevant to me because I don’t participate anyway. I’m just genuinely curious if I’m the only one this sentimental about my villagers!

(ps, hi, I’m new here! Nice to meet y’all.)

I call it animal trafficking. With that said, any chance you are an ENFP like myself whereas you can understand more than just your own feeling? Meaning you can feel other people pain, sadness, etc...? I too can't stomach selling or trading villagers so you are not alone.

 

[moon_child]

No, you’re not weird. I don’t trade villagers either and I’ve been playing the franchise for a looooong time. As for me, my only reason is I want them fresh out the AC box. I don’t want them talking about someone or someplace I barely know which they came from. Also, I want their original furniture and catchphrases and stuff. Basically, I don’t want them with any memories.

 

[mapleleaf]

No, you’re not weird. I don’t trade villagers either and I’ve been playing the franchise for a looooong time. As for me, my only reason is I want them fresh out the AC box. I don’t want them talking about someone or someplace I barely know which they came from. Also, I want their original furniture and catchphrases and stuff. Basically, I don’t want them with any memories.

haha I'm almost the opposite, I've always enjoyed getting villagers from other towns because they have memories, the way they talk about their old town, life etc (at least they did in NL, I'm unsure about NH) makes them seem more real to me.

 

[Imbri]

Nope, I've always thought it was not right. I know they're pixels in a game, but it never seemed to go with the spirit of the game to me.

 

[JKDOS]

Meanwhile, there's me, who has been accused of villager trafficking by my husband

Glad I'm not the only one who refers to it as trafficking

 

[Bk1234]

@elphieluvr I completely agree with you. Especially with the glitches surrounding selling/trading villagers, it just doesn't seem practical. Plus, the term "selling" just seems wrong... And you don't get to experience the joy when seeing your favorite villager on a Nook Miles Ticket Island.

 

[Ciary]

I feel the same way. I like things to feel natural. having friends and talking to them. form bonds with them.
And sure, there are some that i dislike and I ignore them. one recently asked to move out and I did feel kinda sad but I let them go.