Masahiro Sakurai, the legendary Nintendo developer who created the Kirby and Super Smash Bros. series, has some advice for other AAA developers.
In the latest episode of the YouTube series ‘Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games’, Sakurai discusses post-release video game updates and the common issues with AAA titles at launch. He believes that patches and DLC can improve games, but also suggests that developers should strive to release bug-free projects from the start.
Despite the challenges developers face in creating and releasing games, Sakurai highlights the unique complexity of modern titles that make achieving perfection at launch nearly impossible.
“Ideally, a game should be in perfect shape upon release, but with modern titles, it’s difficult to anticipate all the complexities and challenges,” Sakurai explains.
Sakurai identifies four key problems that make it challenging for developers to launch flawless AAA games. The increasing complexity of modern games, limited hands-on time with the final product, the difficulty of finding rare bugs, and the necessity of post-release patches all contribute to the struggle of achieving perfection at launch.
Sakurai acknowledges the value of post-release patches for balancing and quality of life improvements, considering them as a bonus for players. He emphasizes the importance of releasing a game in the best possible condition from the beginning to maintain player interest.
As a AAA developer himself, Sakurai provides valuable insights into the challenges of modern game development and highlights the importance of striving for polished releases. His perspective sheds light on why first-party Nintendo games are often well-received at launch.
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