The iconic game designer and creator of the beloved Super Smash Bros. series, Masahiro Sakurai, recently shared a video discussing the development of the latest installment, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In the video, Sakurai candidly acknowledged the challenge of creating a game that surpasses the immense success of its predecessor.
Released in 2018 for the Nintendo Switch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate exceeded all expectations and became the most ambitious title in the series. Notably, it included every single fighter from the franchise’s past, from Snake of Metal Gear Solid fame to the Ice Climbers from the classic NES game Ice Climber. The game also introduced new characters, such as Ridley from the Metroid series. Its paid DLC expanded the roster even further by adding beloved third-party characters like Sora from Kingdom Hearts, Joker from Persona 5, and Steve from Minecraft.
Given the overwhelming success of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and its elaborate single-player campaign, it’s understandable that Sakurai feels uncertain about how to surpass its accomplishments. In his own words, Sakurai admitted, “As for what comes next for the Smash Bros. series, even I’m not sure. I feel like we truly succeeded in making people happy with this game, but now that Smash Bros. has grown to be monstrous in size, I’d say it’s difficult to imagine an increase of this magnitude happening again.
“In the past, we managed to create games that I had deemed impossible, so I can’t definitively say that there won’t be another installment. However, I do believe it would be challenging to surpass where we currently stand.”
As of now, there are no announced plans for a new Smash Bros. game, and based on Sakurai’s latest video, there is no guarantee that one will ever materialize. Fans will need to keep an eye out for future updates and announcements.
For more incredible gaming experiences on the Nintendo Switch, be sure to explore our handpicked recommendations for the best Nintendo Switch games. Additionally, if you’re a fan of fighting games, we have a compilation of the best titles in the genre that you won’t want to miss.