Super Smash Bros. series creator Masahiro Sakurai thinks that generative AI (which has been used to generate a native PC port of the first entry in the series) can help in a time when large-scale development has become unsustainable for various reasons.
Speaking with ITmedia, the creator of one of the most beloved Nintendo franchises ever made commented on the current game development landscape, saying that large-scale development is increasing in size, and is now time-consuming and unsustainable, so much so that Sakurai-san feels that things cannot continue the way they are. Game development has to change, and one of the solutions to this issue is using generative AI, which can be used to improve efficiency. Ultimately, according to Sakurai-san, we have reached an era where only companies that can adapt to this sustainability problem can survive.
While Masahiro Sakurai's statement could be interpreted as a full-on endorsement of the use of generative AI in game development, ResetERA forums member sprsk provided a bit of context related to the Japanese game development landscape. According to the user, the talent pool in Japan is getting smaller and smaller, and so there are not enough developers to sustain large-scale development, thus, using generative AI could help in a scenario where there are not enough developers. The user added that hiring from overseas could be a solution, but the language barrier will always be a problem, making it difficult to fill the gaps in talent in Japan this way.
This isn't the first time a high-profile Nintendo developer, such as the Super Smash Bros. series creator Masahiro Sakurai, has commented on generative AI use in game development. Last year, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto weighed in on the matter, highlighting how Nintendo tends to go the opposite direction the industry as a whole goes, directly referencing the AI craze that is increasingly threatening jobs in game development.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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