What inspired the creator Animal Crossing to create the game? If they were involved in the development, what was their role on the team?
The Animal Crossing series was conceptualized and created by Katsuya Eguchi. The first game of the series, Animal Crossing (known in its home country of Japan as Dobutso no Mori+) was inspired by Eguchi's relocation to Kyoto after being hired by Nintendo. Eguchi has said on record that he had to leave his friends and family behind when he moved to Kyoto, which left him lonely. He realized that being close to those he cared about was a great, important thing. He wondered if it were possible to recreate the importance of all the things he was missing- spending time, talking, and playing with those you care for in a game. That was the spark of inspiration for Eguchi and he became one of the co-directors of the game.