Super Smash Bros creator Masahiro Sakurai has revealed that he’s still working at full speed developing games and believes his breaking point could ultimately determine when he finally retires.
The legendary Nintendo developer announced his semi-retirement back in 2022 after spending nearly a decade working on Super Smash Bros for Wii U, 3DS, and Ultimate.
However, his retirement didn’t last long. After launching a YouTube channel dedicated to game development, Sakurai returned to make Kirby Air Riders for the Nintendo Switch 2.
Now, at 56 years old, Sakurai has made it clear that he has no immediate plans to slow down, even as he acknowledges the physical toll of his work.
Sakurai says he’ll keep making games until his spirit breaks
Speaking at the Famitsu 40th Anniversary Festival on November 7, Sakurai was asked whether his views on retirement had changed over the last five years.
According to Famitsu, the developer explained that he considers two factors when deciding whether to retire: whether there’s still demand for his work and whether he’s capable of meeting that demand.
Nintendo“Unfortunately, I’m still working at full throttle,” he joked, according to a translation highlighted by GamesRadar.
With demand showing no signs of slowing down, Sakurai suggested the bigger question is now “when will my spirit break?”
He acknowledged that he’s beginning to experience some signs of aging, particularly with his eyes becoming tired more easily, but believes he’s still capable of meeting the expectations placed on him.
That doesn’t mean Sakurai thinks his approach is necessarily healthy. He admitted that continuing to work at such an intense pace indefinitely isn’t something he would recommend, arguing that people need to move into different stages of their lives.
He also stressed that he’s constantly considering how he can contribute to the gaming industry beyond developing games himself.
YouTube/ Masahiro Sakurai on Creating GamesAccording to the legendary game dev, he’s working on something at the moment, but won’t say what it is. Furthermore, he’s been receiving work offers
His comments come as speculation continues to grow about Nintendo’s next Super Smash Bros title.
As Dexerto previously reported, a Nintendo leaker claimed in September that a completely new Smash game was in development rather than another version of Ultimate.
Another insider previously suggested that Sakurai was returning to the series following Kirby Air Riders, with a potential release as early as 2027.
Interestingly, Sakurai explained earlier this year that requests from others are his primary motivation for making games, rather than his own desire to create them.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
