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| A portrait of Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai |
In an age where blockbuster games routinely require teams of hundreds—sometimes thousands—of developers, one of the industry’s most beloved creators is offering a poignant, personal reflection on what can be lost when projects scale up. Masahiro Sakurai, the legendary mind behind Super Smash Bros. and Kirby, recently opened up about the unique frustrations and diminished sense of personal fulfilment that can come with modern, large-team development.
In a candid interview with Japanese news outlet 47NEWS, Sakurai contrasted today’s sprawling productions with the early days of his career, highlighting a core tension in creative work: the need for collaboration versus the desire for individual accomplishment.
The Satisfaction of Seeing Direct Results
When asked what he loves about game development, Sakurai’s answer was strikingly honest, focusing on the pure joy of creation. “Talking specifically about game development, it’s very satisfying to see the results of your hard work,” he said. “You don’t get this when working in a team, and it can be really frustrating.”
To illustrate his point, he used a simple analogy from gaming’s past: “For example, when a pixel artist draws a picture by themselves, then they of course finish it. But when managing a team, it’s often difficult because you have to keep talking about what kind of pixel art is suitable.”
Read Sakurai's full interview (Japanese) on 47NEWS here.
This sentiment speaks to a fundamental shift in how games are made. Sakurai entered the industry in the early 1990s, a time when small, tight-knit teams were the norm. His debut title, Kirby’s Dream Land (1992), lists just 14 people in its credits. Fast forward to 2022’s Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and the credits roll on for minutes, acknowledging hundreds of contributors.
The Growing Scale and a Shifting Sense of Purpose
“I feel like this is getting more difficult with large-scale games,” Sakurai explained in the interview. “Staff size is rapidly increasing into the hundreds. The sense of fulfilment gained from making something by yourself is different from that gained from making something as part of a group. What you are meant to do is also changing.”
His comments underscore a quiet challenge in AAA development: as teams expand, individual roles become more specialized and siloed. A developer might spend years perfecting a single subsystem without ever experiencing the visceral satisfaction of building a complete, smaller project from start to finish. The direct link between effort and a tangible, recognizable result becomes obscured.
A Repeated Warning on Unsustainable Growth
This isn’t a new concern for Sakurai; it’s a theme he has returned to as development cycles lengthen and budgets skyrocket. He has previously called the current trajectory of AAA development “unsustainable,” citing exhausting demands on time and resources. In mid-2025, he went further, suggesting the future looks “dark” for massive productions and hinting that generative AI might become a necessary tool to keep such projects viable—a remark that sparked widespread debate in the industry.
Sakurai’s perspective is unique because he operates in both worlds. He is the visionary director of some of gaming’s biggest crossover hits, which inherently require massive collaboration. Yet, through his wildly popular YouTube channel, he often demonstrates game design concepts solo, reveling in the direct, hands-on creativity that defined the start of his career.
His reflection is less a critique of modern games—which he continues to masterfully helm—and more a heartfelt observation on the human experience of making them. It’s a reminder that behind the ever-more-impressive technical marvels, developers are still driven by that basic, irreplaceable thrill: the joy of creating something and saying, “I made this.”
For fans wanting to experience the pinnacle of Sakurai’s large-team craft, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available on Amazon.
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