Animal Crossing: New Horizons players are holding Tommy ransom to cancel their debt with Tom Nook

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By Heather Wald
last updated

Poor Tommy

(Image credit: Nintendo via @Pondsmelt)

Animal Crossing: New Horizons players are attempting to clear their debt with Tom Nook by holding little Tommy Nook ransom. 

Screenshots have appeared on Reddit and Twitter showing several players caging the little twin Tanuki outside and sending a letter to business mogul Tom Nook to demand he clear their debt. One player trapped the little flag-holding Tommy outside resident services using log stakes. The Reddit post by u/travisstyle reads "My 11-year-old daughter is finding new and creative ways to pay off debt." 

My (11 yo) daughter is finding new and creative ways to pay off debt. from r/gaming

Another pos shows poor Tommy being trapped in an iron cage, alongside a threatening letter demanding that Nook clears the debt if he wants him "back in one piece." Oh, no. Pray for Tommy. 

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Paying off debt has long been one of the hallmarks of the Animal Crossing series, and has given Nook a somewhat unfavourable reputation as a money-grabbing entrepreneur. As much as no one likes being in debt, Tom Nook actually offers quite a fair deal if you really think about it. He gives you ownership of your very own house no questions asked, and lets you take your time paying off your loan without charging interest. I don't know about you, but being able to get an actual house, in reality, seems like a pipedream, so I'm more than happy to take up Nook's great offer [Are you on commission with Tom Nook?- News Ed]. 

Still, on our newly adopted island paradise, it seems players are pulling every trick in the book to avoid paying off their debts. While we don't condone holding Tommy hostage, it's certainly one way to put your resources to use. Since the game launched, every corner of the internet has been flooded with players' antics on the island, which has already given rise to plenty of Animal Crossing: New Horizons memes. This latest development is just another example of the kinds of silly shenanigans you can get up to - let's just hope Tommy comes out of this unscathed.

Starting out on your very own island? We're here to help with our Animal Crossing: New Horizons tips.  

Heather Wald
Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good. 

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