Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai has earned a stellar reputation during his decades in the video game industry. Sakurai’s work has made him a household name among gamers, and the director has made a concerted effort to share his experience and knowledge with the next generation of developers. The director used his YouTube channel for exactly that purpose, which was titled Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games. Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs recognized Samurai’s work on that channel, awarding him with the Art Encouragement Prize earlier this month. Following the ceremony, Sakurai participated in an interview with Japanese outlet Entax (translated by Automaton).
Videos by ComicBook.com
During the interview, Sakurai stressed “that the ideal would be to make games the way you like, as those who agree with you will enjoy them.” A big part of that theory is that Japanese developers should make games that appeal to Japanese audiences, rather than trying to pursue trends that are popular in other regions. While that might sound like common sense, it’s important to note that certain developers and publishers spent years doing just that after their games found big success outside Japan. Sakurai referred to this trend as “making Americanized works.”
Perhaps one of the best examples of this trend is Capcom. In a recent interview with IGN, several developers at the company talked about their failed attempts at pursuing what they assumed to be the demands of the “Western games market.” The company eventually realized that these efforts weren’t working, and decided to work “towards making good games that would reach people from all over the world,” as Devil May Cry director Hideaki Itsuno put it.
Sakurai says that “as an industry trend, I think Japanese people should keep pursuing the things that Japanese people like.” Clearly, there’s a lot of room for different styles in the video game industry, based on how successful many of the director’s games have proven over the years. Looking back 26 years ago, the idea of a fighting game featuring Nintendo mascots would have been unthinkable, and now the Super Smash Bros. series is a consistent seller for Nintendo, and one of the company’s biggest success stories.
Passing on his knowledge to the next generation of developers is something that Sakurai has taken a lot of pride in, and it has clearly taken up a lot of his time over the last few years. The director has now shifted his focus to his next gaming project, though it hasn’t been confirmed what it will be. Many fans are expecting a follow-up to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Nintendo Switch 2, but nothing has been confirmed at this time. With a Nintendo Direct set to take place on April 2nd, it’s possible we could learn about Sakurai’s plans on that day.
How do you feel about Sakurai’s comments? Do you think the director is working on a new Smash Bros. game? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
