Masahiro Sakurai Urges Japanese Game Developers to Embrace Domestic Focus

The Super Smash Bros. creator champions cultural authenticity in gaming and receives government recognition for his educational contributions.

Masahiro Sakurai advocates for Japanese developers to prioritize creating games that appeal to domestic audiences rather than adapting to Western tastes.
He argues that Western players value the unique qualities of Japanese games and are not seeking 'Americanized' adaptations.
Sakurai highlights the importance of creative freedom, encouraging developers to design games they personally enjoy.
The Japanese government awarded Sakurai the Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists for his YouTube series on game development.
Sakurai's comments reflect a broader industry trend of Japanese games returning to their cultural roots after a period of Westernization.