Meet Nintendo develop Katsuya Eguchi who created Animal Crossing after being inspired by the loneliness of moving to a new city, making it the perfect social distancing companion
Daily life across the globe has been completely upended by the coronavirus pandemic — and millions have taken solace in the recently released "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" life simulator game for the Nintendo Switch.
The game was created by Nintendo developer Katsuya Eguchi. He has been with the gaming giant since 1986.
Source: Nintendo Life
In a 2006 interview, Eguchi said he wanted the game to be family-oriented: "This was something that the kids could play after school, and I could play when I got home at night, and I could kind of be part of what they were doing while I wasn't around."
Source: Gamasutra
Eguchi developed the idea for the game when reflecting on the lonely feeling of moving, completely alone, to a new city.
Source: Nintendo Life
Raised in Chiba, Japan, Eguchi moved hundreds of miles away to Kyoto at 21 to begin working at Nintendo's headquarters in 1986. The loneliness in this period of his life served as his inspiration for Animal crossing.
Source: Nintendo Life
There was a "kind of a desire to create a space where my family and I could interact more, even if we weren't playing together," he said in a 2006 interview. The newest Nintendo Switch version of the game allows players to do just that, and visit other players' islands.
Source: Gamasutra
The first iteration of Animal Crossing was released in 2001, and its sole objective was to explore the themes of family, friendship, and community.
Source: IMDb
"Animal Crossing: New Horizons" is part of that long-running franchise. In the newest iteration, players simulate life on a deserted island. The objective of the game is to build a home, make friends, and for the most part, enjoy mundane daily activities.
Source: Business Insider
Before using his personal experiences to fuel the basis of Animal Crossing, Eguchi helped design Super Mario Bros. 3 and Starfox in the 1990s.
Source: Wired
"The games I made before Animal Crossing were always pretty tough to finish," Eguchi once said. "I wanted to make games ... really that everyone could play." There are no levels to beat in Animal Crossing, just a virtual life to be lived.
Source: Gamasutra
Eguchi also created 2006's beloved Wii Sports and assisted with the creation of other fan favorites like versions of The Legend of Zelda and Splatoon.
Source: Britannica
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