How 'Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp' Overcame a Ban to Become a Global Hit
Nintendo is such a family-friendly company that the fact that it once released an acclaimed horror game is noteworthy. For that reason, it may seem like the company wouldn't have to worry about its titles being banned. Despite that, the 2017 Nintendo video game Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp was banned and then went on to enjoy its greatest success ever.
Why 'Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp' Was Banned
In May 2019, The Verge reported that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp users in Belgium would soon lose the ability to play the mobile game. After the Belgian Gaming Commission issued an opinion that stated loot boxes in video games were illegal gambling under the country's laws, it was effectively banned. The ruling stemmed from the commission's belief that loot boxes required players to pay real money for random awards, which they deemed to be gambling. They also noted that loot boxes in games popular with minors are especially problematic.
The game would remain banned in the country until it was shut down and replaced with Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete on December 2, 2024. That version of the game is played offline and has a pay-up-front model that removes the use of loot boxes, which allowed it to be played in the country. As is noted on Nintendo's website, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Completeremains available in Belgium today.
'Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp' Was a Huge Success Before and After the Ban
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp was originally released worldwide on November 21, 2017, and it became a huge hit immediately. On the same day, Nintendo Everything reported that the game hit No. 1 on the iOS game chart in eight countries: the United States, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, and Luxembourg.
After the ban, the game went on to enjoy an even higher level of success. In May 2020, Polygon reported that Animal Crossing: Pocket Camphad its biggest month ever with more than 7.1 million downloads worldwide. It wasn't a coincidence that it had a surge in popularity at that time. Instead, the massive peak in downloads came at the same time that Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released, making the franchise highly relevant.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 7:32 AM.