How to get Raymond in Animal Crossing

The struggle to populate your Animal Crossing: New Horizons with great villagers like Raymond is real. That struggle has naturally created a black market whereby players can spend IRL money for amiibo cards (at the time of writing, there's not even an amiibo card for Raymond). If you don't encounter the cat on a Mystery Island Visit or have a friend who's willing to part with him, you'll be hard-pressed to get him on your island.

While the New Horizons world is one of comfort and calm, the mainstream appeal for millions in quarantine has resulted in a growing black market where virtual items are sold for real cash. Not long ago, players took to social media to joke about having "Raymond in boxes" ready to be shipped, which was often just a poorly Photoshopped picture of Raymond amongst a bunch of boxes. The price of the ready-to-move-in smug cat ranged from 12,000 Nook Miles tickets to reading and writing an essay on Victor Hugo's Les Miserables.

But we've got several ways for you to get Raymond on your island, both via the traditional route and with a special hack. Here's how to get Raymond as a villager in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

How to get Raymond in Animal Crossing the old fashioned way

If you want to get Raymond the traditional way in Animal Crossing New Horizons, it's really a game of luck. There are two ways to run into Raymond and get him to live on your island.

Random campsite encounters
When you have the campsite on your island, there's a tiny chance Raymond will come to visit for the day. There's no way to increase those chances, however, so it's more a matter of luck. One day, Isabelle could announce a new visit, and it could technically be Raymond, but those odds are not in your favor.
Nook Miles Ticket lottery
You can technically "farm" for Raymond by using Nook Miles Tickets to take as many Mystery Island Tours as possible. Rack up your Nook Miles by planting trees and watering plants on your island, and then start heading out on island tours. Fly out, land, and if it's not Raymond hanging out by a campfire, turn around and live. Rinse. Repeat. However, as with the campsite encounters, there's no way to increase the odds you'll actually run into Raymond.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Raymond amiibo info

At the time of writing there is currently no Raymond amiibo card, so don't let anyone make you believe otherwise. Raymond was added to the Animal Crossing franchise in New horizons, and there's no dedicated amiibo tie-in for the game (yet).

Alternative ways to get Raymond in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Don't you worry, there is a way to get Raymond on your island, you just need to be a little cheeky about it. Content creator and father PokéNinja and his team Villager Haven is offering players a chance to get iconic villagers like Raymond for free.

"When you’re a father and you see certain things happening,” PokéNinja told Polygon in a Twitter direct message, “It hits a little differently sometimes." He continued with "I kind of envision these kids begging their parents for the most popular villager in the game, and I know there are many parents (especially now) that simply can’t afford to do that."

So he devised a plan. PokéNinja uses a save editor and a hacked version of New Horizons to generate multiple Raymonds waiting in the wings to come to stay on your island. With a save editor you're completely unrestricted, as you can generate anything that's in New Horizons, amiibo card be damned. Then, PokéNinja sent out a Tweet calling for people who wanted Raymond to reach out.

Huge shout out to @iPokeNinja and to @ACVillagerHaven for giving me the villager I've been wanting since the game came out. I'm so happy to see the good side of the AC community and am grateful to be part of a great community. pic.twitter.com/ZyXKefSJXHJune 23, 2020

The kind-hearted father then gave out Raymond to anyone who contacted him, no questions asked or bells required. If you had an empty spot on your island, Raymond could be yours. According to Polygon, about 50 people requested Raymond in about 12 hours.

PokeNinja has since expanded the service by starting ACVillagerHaven, where a team of people help you get your favorite villagers on your island. The goal? Effectively eradicate the Animal Crossing black market.

And that's how you get Raymond on your island without spending any money, either with the help of PokéNinja and his team or by hacking it yourself. Trust us, it's worth it.

Alyssa Mercante used to be a features writer at GamesRadar+ and is now a freelance writer and editor. Prior to entering the industry, she got her Masters's degree in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Newcastle University with a dissertation focusing on contemporary indie games. She spends most of her time playing competitive shooters and in-depth RPGs and was recently on a PAX Panel about the best bars in video games. In her spare time Alyssa rescues cats, practices her Italian, and plays soccer.