Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of the Super Smash Bros. franchise, has raised concerns about the increasing scale and costs of game development. 
In an interview with ITmedia, Sakurai explained that large-scale game development has grown both time-consuming and unsustainable. As a result, he believes that the industry is at a crossroads and needs to find new ways to maintain its momentum. Sakurai suggests that generative AI could play a crucial role in improving the efficiency of development processes.
Sakurai’s comments come in the context of a changing Japanese game development landscape, where the talent pool is shrinking. The demand for skilled developers is outpacing supply, making it increasingly difficult to sustain large teams for complex projects. While some propose hiring talent from overseas to fill the gaps, the language barrier remains a significant challenge. In this environment, Sakurai sees the adoption of generative AI as a potential solution, helping developers streamline their work and produce high-quality games with fewer resources.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time a high-profile Nintendo developer has commented on AI in game development. Last year, Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, also weighed in on the subject. Miyamoto emphasized how Nintendo often takes a different path than the rest of the industry, notably resisting the AI-driven changes that other companies are embracing. While some may see AI as a job threat in the gaming industry, Sakurai and Miyamoto suggest that it could be part of the solution to game development’s growing challenges.
The conversation around generative AI and its role in the future of game development continues to evolve, with developers and players alike weighing the benefits and risks of integrating AI into the creative process. As Sakurai points out, only those companies that adapt to these new realities will thrive in the years ahead.