Super Smash Bros. Ultimate creator Masahiro Sakurai has received the Art Encouragement Prize from the Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs. The award is an annual recognition, and while it's been far longer than a year since the release of the latest Smash Bros title, Sakurai was active on YouTube throughout 2024. Regardless, it's a noteworthy achievement for the brain behind Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, even after an already illustrious career.
It's been several years since the release of Smash Bros. Ultimate, with little to no news about a potential sequel. Still, Sakurai has confirmed he's not done making games, although not quite at the same level of involvement, thanks to his self-dubbed "semi-retirement." Despite this relative silence in the game development space, the beloved creator has kept busy as a YouTuber over the past few years, enough so that Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs has taken note of its impact on the community.
Super Smash Bros. series director Masahiro Sakurai reveals how the Nintendo crossover platform fighter first got its iconic name.
As reported by VGC, the Agency awarded Sakurai for his contributions on YouTube, which shared insider insights on game development for a wider audience. According...
