Masahiro Sakurai, director of the Smash Bros. series, has expressed concerns about the sustainability of large-scale game development and sees generative AI as a potential aid. In a recent interview with ITmedia, Sakurai discussed the growing complexity and effort required to create major games.
He described current large-scale development as “time-consuming and unsustainable,” noting that the industry’s increasing demands surpass the available workforce. Particularly in Japan, a shrinking talent pool and language barriers in recruiting overseas staff exacerbate the issue.
“To be honest, it’s impossible to tell what’s going to happen. I think we’ve reached a point where trying to make large-scale games like we do now is too time-consuming and unsustainable. I feel that we can’t continue like this, but at the moment the only effective solution I can think of is generative AI. I feel that we’ve reached a stage where we have to change our scheme, such as by using generative AI to increase work efficiency. I think we’ll enter an era where only companies that can adapt well to this change will survive.”
Sakurai made clear he is not fully endorsing AI nor claiming it is the sole path forward. Instead, he sees it as a tool to improve work efficiency as game creation demands continue to rise.
In contrast, Nintendo’s stance on AI has been more cautious. Last year, Shigeru Miyamoto expressed skepticism about using AI, and Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser emphasized that human involvement remains central to game development.
This discussion highlights the challenges facing the gaming industry as it balances expanding ambitions with workforce limitations, and the potential role of AI in evolving that landscape.