Hey everyone,
Quick context : I'm a French solo dev (with a small team) working on Childwood, a god-game with a dark narrative. Posted here yesterday for capsule feedback (amazing comments, thank you !).
In that thread, several native English speakers pointed out that "Childwood" might have an unfortunate connotation in English that I (as a non-native speaker) never picked up on. Apparently the "wood" part can be read as slang in certain contexts, and combined with the game's themes, it creates an uncomfortable association.
Two questions for you :
As an English speaker, do you actually feel this issue when you see "Childwood" or is it overblown ?
I've been brainstorming alternatives, and one I'm seriously considering is "Please the Giants" (which also better describes the actual gameplay, you're trying to satisfy giant spectators by sacrificing children). Does this resonate ?
Game's still pre-demo (launching at AGFD on May 27th), so I have a clean window to rename without major disruption. Just need to make the right call.
Thanks for any honest input. I'd rather hear it now than after launch !