A recent interview sheds light on Animal Crossing’s early history, revealing that the English version almost had a different name. Despite being a popular series now, the initial localization process faced unique hurdles.

Originally titled Dobutsu no Mori, which translates to Animal Forest in English, the game was discussed for other potential names like Animal Acres. Leslie Swan, a former localization manager at Nintendo, shared insights about the challenges of translating the game for Western audiences. The complexity arose from its culturally specific content, prompting the localization team to rework character names, catchphrases, and various game elements.

Former Nintendo Localization Manager Talks Animal Crossing
Swan fondly recalled how her favorite suggestion among many names was Animal Acres, due to the game’s town structure reminding the team of real estate grids. Although they aspired to include both “Animal” and “Forest” in the title, it ultimately did not pan out. Swan noted that the localization presented more challenges than earlier projects, leading to fair skepticism from Nintendo executives.

Despite not being an immediate success in the West, Animal Crossing gradually built a loyal fanbase, culminating in the phenomenal success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This title broke records and provided an escape for many during the pandemic. The foundational work put into the original localization remains influential to this day.