Masahiro Sakurai Advocates for Japanese Developers to Embrace Cultural Uniqueness

The Super Smash Bros. creator emphasizes the value of making games for Japanese audiences and preserving their distinctiveness, following recognition for his influential YouTube series.

Masahiro Sakurai has called on Japanese game developers to prioritize creating games that cater to domestic audiences rather than adapting to Western tastes.
He argues that Western players are drawn to Japanese games for their unique creativity and cultural characteristics, not for Americanized adaptations.
Sakurai believes developers should focus on making games they personally enjoy, trusting that like-minded audiences will appreciate their work.
He reflects on past industry trends, noting that while there was a period of Americanization in Japanese game development, it is no longer necessary as culturally distinct games thrive globally.
Sakurai recently received the Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists from the Japanese government for his educational YouTube series on game development, which has had significant international influence.