Call it inexperience, but going to visit my friends on their brand new islands was one of the most exciting things to do when I first started Animal Crossing: New Horizon. Their Animal Crossing Island was always so unique, even if they picked the exact same layout as you, mostly because of the different villagers, or the unique fruit, or even the color of their tent. There was something incredible about seeing what your friend saw on the daily.

The first island I went to was that of one of my best mate’s, and already my mind was blown. Not just because they already had more tarantulas than I possibly knew what to do with, but because everything was just so new and pretty.

We’d only been playing a couple of hours, so I was very impressed at how far ahead she was. So, I crafted her a few things and she did the same for me, already we’d built a strong, working relationship that looked as though nothing in the world could shake it.

But that was a lie. You see, while I had originally thought that us sharing things was fair game, I realized much later that was in fact, a falsehood. After digging up a few fossils, and taking a mic stand that they hadn’t put down on their island, I left the island feeling completely secure in our friendship.

However, after one very accusatory conversation later — which ended with us laughing and myself being branded, and I quote ‘a fucking thief’ — I realized that the etiquette behind Animal Crossing islands have yet to become something that I understand.

Still, I like to imagine that I took it all in my stride.

i stole my friend's mic stand and she got mad so i sent her this pic.twitter.com/Af4IIpDW7O — Aimee H (@AimemeRights) March 24, 2020

A lot has happened since the time of March 24th, and it was only thanks to this stellar article from VG24/7 about their own slippery business being uncovered that I felt the desire to share my story about how a simple mistake, one that I may have repeated a few times after, can truly ruin a life…

The downside of being branded a criminal is that, ultimately, I have to beg to go visit and sell my island’s unique fruit. And in all fairness to my friend, she still does let me do that, but I’m under a watchful eye at all times and tools like the shovel are not allowed to be equipped.

Instead, it all goes down like this: I get to the airport, where she’s there to greet me. I say ‘hi’, she says ‘hello thief’, and I am then navigated outside. Once there, I pause to look at the map and then make my way over to the shop, my friend — wielding an axe — following close behind. I make my way to Nooks Cranny, sell everything I needed to, and then hop on back to my island.

The trips are often very short, but lately my friend has decided to become more trusting. I am allowed out of her sight for a little while — but only to pick flowers, and never too much. I’m surprised her villagers know me at all, considering how fast I go to and from their island.

Still, I like to think I’ve learned a valuable lesson about Animal Crossing island etiquette. Never just take things, even if you’ve been giving each other stuff for a while. Alternatively? Just don’t get caught, otherwise you’ll never hear the end of it.

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