Last week Tekken producer and living legend Katsuhiro Harada sat down with the inimitable Masahiro Sakurai to discuss a variety of topics, including Sakurai’s inability to drink water (Friendly NinWire Reminder: stay hydrated, loyal readers). This week’s conversation broached a similarly wide and varied topics, such as Sakurai’s inability to drink alcohol, his main hobby (not video games, but driving), and also his memories of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake.
What is of most interest, as usual, is Sakurai discussing game design. Sakurai expresses a great deal of weariness over the process, stating he can’t count the number of times he’s wanted to quit, and that playing games is much more fun than making them. “Even if you work really hard on making [a game], sometimes you get picked on, things don’t go well, and there are many setbacks that can happen.” He even mentions that the stress shortens lifespans. Yet despite all this, Sakurai won’t stop until he physically can’t do it anymore. “[If] there’s demand, you can keep doing it forever. That’s what I think.”
Mr. Sakurai, if I may editorialize for a moment – I am kindly asking you to consider retirement. Please. You have given so much of yourself to a game and a fanbase that is constantly demanding more from you, and I speak for myself and I believe many other people when we say we want nothing more than for you to live a longer, happier, healthier life. You’ve given us multiple masterpieces, seriously, you hang put up the gloves anytime.
There were other areas in which Sakurai discussed the particulars of game design and his process of making a new game, but you should really check out the interview himself – while praying for his health, as always. I mean, the man doesn’t drink water – he’ll need all the metaphysical help he can get.
Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
