To build a thriving community in Animal Crossing: New Horizons players will need to fork over a large sum of money to the real-estate raccoon Tom Nook, though it isn't clear what he does with the Bells he amasses. Tom Nook has played an important role in each Animal Crossing title as the manager of the town shop until New Leaf, when he takes on a bigger role in the town's development. In Animal Crossing: New Horizons, he is the head of Nook Incorporated and collects bundles of Bells in exchange for home and town upgrades.
It is easy to look at Tom Nook as a shady and potentially scheming character. Animal Crossing: New Horizons takes place on a deserted island, with the main character having bought into a get-away package with Nook Incorporated that leaves them steeply in debt. For every step the player takes to improve their New Horizons home, they will need to take out a loan with Tom Nook, and each upgrade will cost more than the last.
However, an IGN interview with Animal Crossing creators Aya Kyogoku and Hisashi Nogami reveals a different side of Tom Nook. During the interview, it is explained that Tom Nook works constantly to improve the town and takes the Bells acquired from residents indebted to Nook Incorporated to improve Resident Services, the development center for the community. It isn't known why Tom Nook has dedicated his earned profits to this cause, but it can make giving up the Bells for a new project less painful knowing it's not just going into his pocket.
Animal Crossing's Tom Nook Donates To An Orphanage
Tom Nook has also shown a softer side during Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer. When speaking to Tom Nook, the player learns that he donates 90% of his personal earnings to an orphanage several towns away. However, he explains he is aware of his reputation within the Animal Crossing town as a brutal businessman and doesn't want the news of his true demeanor getting around. This revelation shows that Tom Nook's investment in the community and the desire to offer services at a cost may not be done with villainous intent, and helps make him a more relatable character in Animal Crossing's storyline.
Despite his boasted generosity, many fans may argue that it doesn't excuse the inflated prices Tom Nook charges while developing a New Horizons town. Tom Nook wields a large amount of power in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, as the player and every villager who comes to live on the island is indebted to his company. It seems unlikely that donating the majority of his earnings to charitable causes or improvements on the island would cover the amount of money Tom Nook earns through his debt collecting. Because no one has seen proof of Tom Nook's spending habits in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, what he does with his remaining profits will likely be left a mystery.
Source: IGN