Where did Kemono Friends begin?

Kemono Friends is an anime that is taking the internet by storm. People are captivated by the cavorting of a young girl named Kaban and her various animal Friends in the Japari wildlife park. Said Friends being animal and human hybrids. This slice-of-life series has a sense of innocence and charm that tends to captivate people. But, this isn’t some show that got its start as a manga and exploded. Rather, it began its life as a game.