Super Smash Bros. director has started his next project – may not even be a game

Is it too early to start work on a new Super Smash Bros.? (pic: Famitsu)

Masahiro Sakurai says he’s working on something new, but it may have nothing to do with Super Smash Bros. or video games.

With how much work was done on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, no one would begrudge director Masahiro Sakurai from taking a very long vacation, or even retiring, after the final piece of DLC released. Only five months later, however, and it sounds like Sakurai’s back to work.

Recently, he was named as Famitsu’s Most Valuable Creator and, upon receiving the award, said that it also belonged to all his fellow Super Smash Bros. staff members and contributors.

What has really caught fans’ attention though is his mention of a new project. Sakurai provides zero details on it, only saying that his eyes might be tired from working on it, via translator Kody NOKOLO on Twitter.

The immediate assumption is that he’s started the next Super Smash Bros. game. Although he once suggested that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate would be the last game in the series, he later admitted he couldn’t rule out the possibility of a sequel.

It is important to remember that Sakurai hasn’t just worked on the Super Smash Bros. series. He was a designer on puzzle game Meteos in 2005 and, after founding Sora Ltd., directed Kid Icarus: Uprising.

His next project may not even video game related though. In a more in-depth translation courtesy of GameXplain, he said ‘You may see in the near future in a place that has nothing to do with game production. You may or may not be able to see me. I hope to see you again in the future. Thank you very much for your time.’

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Whatever it ends up being, it’s sure to grab fans’ attention if Sakurai’s name is attached to it. Hopefully, though, he doesn’t have hook himself to an IV drip to get it finished this time.

As for any potential future Super Smash Bros., it’s unlikely to have a roster as big as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The final roster consists of 80+ individual characters, including numerous special guest stars like Persona 5’s Joker, Banjo and Kazooie, and Sora from Kingdom Hearts.

The legal difficulties alone, in repeating that feat, would be Herculean, with Sakurai and Nintendo keen to emphasis that fans should not expect such a massive line-up again.

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