Renowned game designer and creator of the illustrious Super Smash Bros. series, Masahiro Sakurai, has been candid about his semi-retired status from game development and his uncertainty about his involvement in the beloved series going forward.
In a series of recent YouTube videos, where Sakurai shares his game design wisdom, he delved into his intricate relationship with the Super Smash Bros. series and expressed his skepticism about its continuity without his involvement.
Despite a successful run with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, boasting over 31 million units sold, the future of the series is still not certain. Sakurai, a pillar of the franchise, seems unsure about whether he will partake in another installment, but has conveyed his keen interest to continue working with Nintendo.
While reflecting on his past experiences and the origin of Smash Bros. Brawl, the first game he led as a freelance developer, Sakurai underlined the rarity of such an arrangement. He postulated about the series’ trajectory in his latest video, questioning, “What happens next time? I mean whatever comes after Smash Bros. Ultimate.”
A potential solution could be to dissociate the series from its original creator, but Sakurai confessed, “For now, at least, I can’t really imagine a Smash Bros. title without me.” This sentiment aligns with that of the late Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, who shared a similar perspective when forming the team for Smash Bros. Brawl. The challenge remains in identifying a successor capable of steering the course of the franchise, as Sakurai affirms, “At present, we don’t have someone who can simply take the reins.”
The future of the series, while inevitable given its tremendous success, will require careful planning and execution. It needs a firm conviction from Sakurai, who recognizes the significance of the series and the inevitable development of a new installment.
Regardless of whether he’s involved or not, Sakurai is aware that the next Super Smash Bros. title will require a tremendous effort from its developers.
Despite his enthusiasm, fans aware of Sakurai’s grueling work-life balance, or the lack thereof. The pressures of maintaining the quality and success of the series have resulted in severe stress, with the designer sharing harrowing experiences such as resorting to an IV drip and pushing through physical exhaustion to continue working. However, he has taken steps towards improving his working conditions during the development of Ultimate, such as strictly adhering to leaving the office by 10 PM.
Sakurai’s YouTube channel has been instrumental in providing insights into his experiences and future prospects. It presents a platform where Sakurai can discuss the past, present, and potential future of the series, often sharing behind-the-scenes stories that offer fans an inside look into the creation of the Super Smash Bros. franchise.
One such story recounts his involvement in the creation of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Sakurai shared his surprise at the announcement of the game during Nintendo’s E3 2005 press conference. As an audience member at the event, he had no knowledge of the game until Nintendo’s president, Satoru Iwata, revealed it and later requested Sakurai to lead the team.
As Sakurai delves into discussions about the future of the Super Smash Bros. franchise, he presents various possibilities like the prospect of handing over the series to a new director. However, the thought of a Super Smash Bros. title without him at the helm seems hard to envision. His words strike a chord, “I feel the same way President Iwata did when we formed the team for Smash Bros. Brawl. At present, we simply do not have someone who could take the reins.”
This sentiment echoes Sakurai’s previous statements, expressing how he had already poured “too much of [his] personality” into the series. There’s a challenge in splitting the vision between multiple people, something Sakurai and Nintendo would need to confront if a new installment were to materialize.
Amidst these discussions, the question remains: What happens next for the Super Smash Bros. series? For now, only time will tell.
Speaking of Nintendo, the company remains mum about its plans for a successor to the Nintendo Switch. But, the evidence points towards an imminent announcement. It’s believed that the next Nintendo console will be an upgrade/off-shoot of the Nintendo Switch, mirroring the earlier rumors of the Nintendo Switch Pro.
