Masahiro Sakurai has led development on every single Super Smash Bros. game and is considered irreplaceable at Nintendo. So much so that Super Smash Bros. Brawl would have been scrapped altogether if he hadn't agreed to work on it. Now, Sakurai admits that he shares this outlook, saying that there's currently no clear replacement for his job on the Smash Bros. series.
This comes from a new video on Sakurai's YouTube channel, in which he shares his thoughts on Brawl's development. Here, he goes over how much Nintendo valued his work on the series, and didn't know how it could make a new installment without him. Fast forward to Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Sakurai shares that he still feels this obligation to the series, saying that "at present, we don't have someone who can simply take the reins."
"For now at least, I can't really imagine a Smash Bros. title without me," says Sakurai. "You might think that's a natural stance for someone in my role, but I say so speaking objectively"."
Earlier in the video, Sakurai shared how this sentiment was first felt by leading figures within Nintendo, such as Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma and the late Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata.
"I feel the same way President Iwata did when we formed the team for Smash Bros. Brawl," Sakurai continues. "At present, we don't have someone who can simply take the reins."
Famously, if Sakurai had turned down the offer to work on Smash Bros. Brawl, Nintendo planned to re-release the last game, Melee, on the Wii, allowing online battles. In the video, Sakurai suggests this wouldn't have been a great idea, influencing his decision to return and make a new game from the ground up.
At this time, Aonuma also vouched for him. The Zelda producer is quoted as saying, "To be frank, if Mr. Sakurai isn't involved, it would likely spell the end of the Smash Bros. series [...] A Smash Bros. game lacking that spirit wouldn't be worth making at all, I'd say."
There's good and bad news here for anyone hoping we get a new Smash Bros. game soon. The good news is that Sakurai makes it clear that it's incredibly likely. The bad? A sequel is probably not in development right now, or even being considered by Sakurai.
"Smash Bros. is a massive, important title for Nintendo, so it's fair to assume there will be another at some point," says Sakurai. "But it's going to take some work to figure out exactly how to make that happen."
Of course, this is due to the fact that Sakurai doesn't work for Nintendo - he's freelance. That doesn't mean he isn't open to talks though: "For my part, I'd like to keep working with Nintendo however I'm able."