“We don’t have someone who can simply take the reins.”
In 2021, with DLC support for Smash Bros.
Ultimate finally beginning to wind down,Sakurai even discussed the idea of retirement.
Now, however, Sakurai appears to have changed his mind.
“What happens next time?”
Sakurai pondered in hislatest YouTube videodiscussing game development.
“I mean whatever comes after Smash Bros. One option would be to separate the series from the original creator.
But for now, at least, I can’t really imagine a Smash Bros. title without me.
Simply replicating that, Sakurai has said in the past, would be an enormous challenge.
So, what’s the solution?
Sakurai says this is something that will take time to figure out.
“For my part, I’d like to keep working with Nintendo however I’m able.”
“There’s something pretty attractive about the idea of early retirement, right?!”
“The question of ‘How much longer can I keep working at this job?’
does cross my mind pretty often.”
For its part,Nintendo has said it will not release the Switch’s successor before April 2024.
