Masahiro Sakurai expresses frustration in developing large-scale games with extensive teams, noting the disparity between visible and invisible contributions.

Masahiro Sakurai has been a key player in the gaming world since the early ’90s, a time when even the most iconic titles were often crafted by small teams. Over the years, he has witnessed the industry evolve while working on beloved franchises like Kirby and Super Smash Bros. However, he expresses concern that the large development teams of today may hinder individual developers from taking pride in their work.

In a recent interview, Sakurai shared his thoughts on finding joy in game development. “When it comes to game development, there’s a unique satisfaction in seeing the fruits of your labor,” he noted. “This feeling can be elusive in a team setting, which can lead to frustration. For instance, a pixel artist who creates a piece of art on their own can feel a sense of completion. But when you’re part of a team, discussions about what pixel art should look like can complicate things.”

Sakurai pointed out that individual contributions can easily become obscured in larger teams. “Some work clearly showcases your efforts, while other tasks may not,” he explained. “If you can’t find a sense of achievement in the final product, it becomes challenging.” He believes this issue is exacerbated as development teams grow larger.

“I think this challenge is intensifying with the rise of large-scale games,” Sakurai remarked. “Team sizes are ballooning into the hundreds. The fulfillment you get from creating something on your own is fundamentally different from what you experience as part of a group. The expectations of your role are also shifting.”

His own career serves as a testament to this shift. The credits for Kirby’s Dream Land, his debut title, feature just 14 names, while his latest game, Kirby Air Riders, boasts a staggering 908 names. It’s easy to see how one might feel lost in a sea of nearly a thousand colleagues.

Sakurai isn’t the only one voicing concerns about the implications of large team sizes. Former creative director of Assassin’s Creed, Alexandre Amancio, recently stated that AAA studios are “mistakenly” addressing challenges by simply adding more people, suggesting that the future lies with smaller teams. Even Hideo Kojima has praised the compact team behind Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as “ideal.”

However, the conversation around team sizes is complex. The number of people involved in creating Expedition 33 sparked significant debate last year. Even smaller teams today often rely on substantial support from contractors and publishing staff, making it difficult to revert to the days of truly tiny teams, even as these small groups continue to achieve remarkable results.

Despite his legendary status with titles like Kirby and Super Smash Bros., Sakurai humbly claims he doesn’t see himself as a “hit maker” and admires other developers for their “incredible” creations.