Masahiro Sakurai Retirement

Masahiro Sakurai Retirement Comments Clarified, Ending Famitsu Column

Masahiro Sakurai will not choose retirement anytime soon. Now that the full Famitsu column is out, IGN clarified with a translation of its own. The video game director will end his regular column in Famitsu later this year.

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Based on some tidbits that came out ahead of the column in the latest issue of Famitsu, it sounded like Masahiro Sakurai was considering retirement. However, now that the entire article is available, we have more context to the legendary game developer’s statements. After having the column translated independently, IGN clarified that “he makes very clear that he won’t be quitting game development anytime soon.” While Sakurai does ponder the question of how long he can keep working in game development, he also says this is normal for someone his age to consider. He made no concrete statement of wanting to quit the industry.

However, Sakurai did confirm that he will stop writing his Famitsu column after an 18-year run. He will continue his regular articles in the publication until after the final DLC characters for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate come out. Two fighters are remaining in the brawler’s second Fighter Pass. The most recent addition to the enormous roster was the two-in-one combo of Pyra and Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

Masahiro Sakurai is not considering retirement. However, he will end his Famitsu column after 18 years.


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Oni Dino
Oni Dino is a staff writer, Japanese-English translator, localization editor, and podcaster. He has several video game credits and regularly translates columns from Masahiro Sakurai and Shigeru Miyamoto. When not knee-deep in a JRPG and wishing games had more environmental story-telling, he's attending industry events and interviewing creative auteurs to share their stories.