Highlights
Animal Crossing fans have become attached to NPC characters like Wisp the Ghost, who gives players rewards once they help him catch all five spirit fragments.
A talented artist on Instagram has crafted a captivating tufted Wisp the Ghost rug, drawing inspiration from Wisp's iconic design featured in earlier versions of Animal Crossing games. The surge in popularity of these video game character-inspired tufted rugs has provided fans with a delightful opportunity to embellish their living spaces with beloved accents from their cherished franchises.
A fan of Animal Crossing has created a rug featuring Wisp the Ghost, a beloved character from the game. Wisp has made appearances in various Animal Crossing games, including the latest installment, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. When players aid Wisp in collecting all five spirit fragments, they receive rewards. In New Horizons, Wisp roams around the island at night, endearing himself to many players. After capturing his spirits, he becomes a permanent presence in players' gameplay and offers them valuable gifts. Additionally, players can interact with Wisp in different locations, such as Photopia on Harv's Island, The Roost in the museum, and the archipelago in the Happy Home Paradise DLC.
Due to the immense popularity of Wisp the Ghost, numerous Animal Crossing players have created art pieces inspired by his character. One particularly remarkable creation is a tufted rug of Wisp the Ghost made by the artist babytuft on Instagram. The design of the rug was influenced by Wisp's appearance in Animal Crossing: City Folk and Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo, where he sported a genie hat adorned with a single multicolored feather. In an Instagram post, babytuft expressed that Wisp has been her favorite Animal Crossing character since she began playing the game in 2002.
The artist also shared her Wisp the Ghost rug on the Animal Crossing subreddit, where it received numerous compliments from fans who described it as "adorable" and "plush." One Reddit user even jokingly commented that Wisp might lose his spirits again if people stepped on the rug multiple times. Another Reddit user praised babytuft's hard work, acknowledging the time and effort it takes to create tufted rugs. Additionally, babytuft's Instagram page and Etsy store feature other video game-inspired rugs, such as Squirtle from Pokemon and Buzzy Beetle from Super Mario, as well as rugs based on popular cartoons.
Tufted rugs are gaining popularity among video game enthusiasts, as artists receive a significant amount of engagement when they share their finished creations. Recently, a Pokemon fan showcased their impressive Weezing rug, which was created on commission. Other artists and rug makers have previously found inspiration in games such as World of Warcraft and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This growing interest can be attributed to individuals wanting to adorn their spaces with accents from their beloved video game franchises.
The Animal Crossing franchise already boasts a diverse cast of non-playable characters (NPCs), providing ample inspiration for players to incorporate into their own artworks. While it is possible for Nintendo to introduce more NPCs in future games, fans will have to patiently await any updates for now.