Shortly after the release of Kingdom Hearts’ Sora as the final DLC fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Masahiro Sakurai began his own YouTube channel back in 2022. For the last couple of years, Sakurai has been providing some generalized tips about creating games while also revealing interesting tidbits about the projects that he’s developed throughout his career, which also includes the Super Smash Bros. series.
Of course, all good things must eventually come to an end. Earlier this year, Masahiro Sakurai reported that the final video for his channel had been recorded. At the time, Sakurai was unable to provide its exact air date, but believed that it would be before the end of the year.
This has never been confirmed, but it’s been speculated that Sakurai had opted to wrap up his YouTube channel project as it was believed that he had already begun development on the next entry of the Super Smash Bros. series. After all, he casually mentioned once that he’s still creating games for the time being, though there have been no announcements about what he’s been involved with as of right now.
At long last, Sakurai now has a timeline in place for his final YouTube channel video. More than likely, we should see this “Creating Games” series wrap up around October 15.
“As mentioned previously, I’ll be wrapping up production of new episodes for my YouTube channel soon,” announced Sakurai. “Right now, it’s looking like the last scheduled episode will release on Tuesday, October 15th.”
We had previously heard that this episode had been recorded some time ago. However, it seems that Sakurai is also planning for a “special finale episode” after the airing of this last scheduled video.
“However, I’m also working on a special finale episode to come afterward, so please stay tuned for more details!” stated Sakurai.
As mentioned previously, I’ll be wrapping up production of new episodes for my YouTube channel soon. Right now, it’s looking like the last scheduled episode will release on Tuesday, October 15th.
However, I’m also working on a special finale episode to come afterward, so please… pic.twitter.com/6cyx3XO0nw
— 桜井 政博 / Masahiro Sakurai (@Sora_Sakurai) October 2, 2024
Since the original Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64, there’s been a new entry for the franchise for every Nintendo console. Of course, even Sakurai himself acknowledges that his involvement would be necessary for the series to continue, though he’d prefer to leave it to someone else.
As it turns out, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa revealed plans indicating that the Switch successor is slated to be announced within this fiscal year. In other words, it’ll be revealed before April 1, 2025, though it’s still not known when it will be released.
It’s difficult to imagine Nintendo not wanting a new entry for the Super Smash Bros. series on the Switch successor considering how Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has sold over 34.66 million units worldwide, marking it as the third best-selling title on the Switch. Only Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (62.90 million) and Animal Crossing: New Horizons (45.85 million) have outperformed it.
What’s interesting is that Bandai Namco’s Studio 2 & Studio S, the developers behind Super Smash Bros. 4 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, have apparently recently filled positions for those experienced in developing action games played from a side-view. Needless to say, Sakurai previously said that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s “Everyone Is Here” theme would not have happened had Bandai Namco not been involved with the latest two Smash entries.
We once heard from Sakurai that he could only envision Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s “Everyone Is Here” theme happening just once. As such, even he was unsure of how to continue the series after Smash Ultimate. However, if Bandai Namco truly is to return to develop their third Super Smash Bros. game, maybe a “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Deluxe” could be in the cards considering the massive success of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, another game developed at Bandai Namco.
Regardless, Sakurai has continued to be adamant that Dragon Ball’s Goku would not fit into Super Smash Bros due to the character’s origins not being tied directly to video games. This will likely continue with the next entry as well.
With all of this in mind, it’s worth noting that the next time we hear from Masahiro Sakurai after the planned “special finale episode,” it could be alongside the announcement of a new Super Smash Bros. game for the Switch successor. At some point, Sakurai may even return to his YouTube channel to reveal behind-the-scenes details about the game’s development when the time comes.
Overall, the scheduling of the final episode for Sakurai’s YouTube channel is yet another potential sign that development is undergoing yet another ramp up period, which is certainly exciting for fans. Of course, it will likely be another year or two before we hear about Sakurai’s next game, but this likely won’t be the last we hear of Sakurai.