Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai talks processing Satoru Iwata's passing and what comes next after his 'final mission'
Shigesato Itoi’s company, Hobonichi, recently published an interview with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai in which he spoke about the late, former Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. The close relationship between the two is well-known, with their work together on franchises such as Super Smash Bros. and Kirby being legendary.
In the interview, Sakurai discussed Iwata's passing and how he processed it, as well as what comes after the making of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate — the final mission given to him by Iwata. Thanks to a translation from Siliconera, we have an excerpt for English-speakers to dive into.
"Before I took the phone call, I felt sluggish for some reason. Like my body felt heavy…" Sakurai said recalling the day of Iwata's death. He explains that when his grandparents passed away, that same feeling set in, and it was almost as though he knew something had happened before being informed.
"But I decided that either way, I’d finish the Smash Bros. project. That was the best way I could make it up to Iwata-san, I felt," Sakurai said.
During the development of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, Sakurai was already discussing a Smash Bros. Switch title with Iwata. The goal was a definitive Smash Bros. title that combined the best elements of the handheld and console versions.
At Japan's Game Awards, Sakurai said that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was the final mission assigned to him by Iwata. The game has been a raging success, and Sakurai is thankful that people are really enjoying it.
As for what comes next, "Only god knows," Sakurai said, laughing. It seems that Smash Bros. Ultimate's DLC falls outside of the "final mission," however.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate just wrapped up its first Fighters Pass with the release of Fire Emblem: Three Houses protagonist, Byleth. Persona's Joker, Hero from Dragon Quest, Banjo-Kazooie, and Fatal Fury / The King of Fighters' Terry Bogard make up the remainder of the first wave of DLC, and a second Fighters Pass has been confirmed.
We can expect to see six more DLC characters join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate over the course of the next two years, though the identities of these warriors have yet to be revealed.
For more from Sakurai and this interview, be sure to head over to Siliconera.
