Animal Crossing: New Horizons players are debating the controversial practice of trading villagers. For those unaware, gamers have been using Nook Miles Tickets on online marketplaces to ensure that they can get rare or favorite villagers. Obviously, there are some strange ethical questions to bartering goods for the in-game avatars and the nature of the coronavirus pandemic has led everyone to question the practice. Some veteran players point out that the marketplaces were very much alive and well in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Some even went so far as to gesture towards other earlier entries in the series. But, even with that presence, the debate is still going at a healthy rate on social media.
Nook Miles Tickets are a new thing for the Nintendo Switch edition of the game. A recent Eurogamer report lays out how the in-game economy has shifted away from Bells or Turnips and to NMTs. By accomplishing simple tasks on their islands, players get access to the valuable tickets. That means that every sapling planted, tree chopped down, and fishing expedition matters this time around. Usually, the rewards include Nook Miles for limited items and recipes. But, the NMTs allow people to travel to special mystery islands where anything could be waiting. Villagers being tied to this system is where it starts to get a little weird.
Discord servers and other external sites have seen people lay down hundreds of NMTs to ensure that they get the villagers they want. The practice doesn't stop there though, people are also tossing in thousands of tickets to get access to items that they can order back in their village's catalog. It might seem like a lot to pay for a visit from Raymond and Audie, but players really don't see any problem with it. Someone will open up their island to a stranger to sell their stock for a set entry fee, rare items or a boatload of NMTs.
All of this has Bells being less valuable than ever in the grand scheme of New Horizons. So much of the content is locked behind Nook Miles that they're the only real way to get ahead. Think about it, as of last week on The Bell Tree, one NMT is equivalent to 200k Bells. Which one are you going to prioritize more once you realize that value exists.
Do you think the trading villagers practice is cool? Let us know in the comments! Check out the responses below:
Something happened in the community
That would be some dedication
A little bit of rage every game
When you're basically done
The timetravel discussion