For the past year now, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai has been working around the clock to develop additional DLC fighters. He puts excessive hours in the game's creation and often doesn't take breaks. He has even spoken about his health issues previously and how it has required him to rethink his work-life balance.
If all of this wasn't already worrying enough, in this week's issue of Famitsu (translated by Ryokutya2089 via Siliconera), Sakurai revealed how he recently managed to avoid a major injury due to fatigue. According to the source, he was apparently "taking a bath during a trip to the gym" recently and passed out because he was tired and dehydrated. His low-carb meat-based diet was supposedly a contributing factor.
We've heard how Sakurai enjoys being a "hard worker", but perhaps it's time for him to slow down a little.
Exactly a year ago, the director revealed how he would use an IV drip and "go to work like normal" during the development of Smash Bros. Ultimate, in order to avoid taking time off. He also spoke about how he dealt with "a lot of stomach problems" throughout the game's creation, including some serious food poisoning.
Fighters Pass 2 is expected to be the last round of character DLC for Smash Bros. Ultimate. Hopefully, after this, Sakurai-san can have a nice long rest.
[source siliconera.com]
Comments 67
Diet and lack of rest, the man needs a break
Though I will say that I did enjoy the keto diet myself.
The man's dedication is admirable, but he could suffer long term health consequences if he doesn't stop to take care of his body.
@T7Hokage017 I saw that!
For Lucifer’s sake, Sakurai- take a break! We love you and your happiness and well being should always be your first priority! 😭❤️🦇
That kind of dedication is well past devotion, it's reckless. The game isn't worth throwing his life away over. I'm surprised Nintendo even allows him to work so hard. As much money as he makes them, they should want to protect his health.
@T7Hokage017 I can't judge, i always edit my first comment
Sakurai, for gods sake, please take a nap for bit!
Give him a seat at the shareholders meeting.
The baths are often pretty hot in Japan especially at the gym
Seriously man, we do not need to lose you. Take some time to reflect on your own well-being, gaming won’t go away.
Masahiro Sakurai reminds me a lot about Steve Jobs. Extremely dedicated to their work and making sacrifices for the benefit of the consumers.
Sakurai can write just about anything & his fans will believe him. He'll tell us next he discovered the coronavirus vaccine.
Is he allergic to carbs or something. Nintendolife should send him pizzas on mass to bulk up. I understand working so late that you're fatigued, but when you're passing out because you're not eating and drinking right. Thats not commendable, its in contention for a Darwin award. Worst case scenario, You can drink and eat at your desk.
Also why is he working so long anyway. His team have 6 characters and 6 stages to create a year. They're not exactly pushed for time. Take some time to chill.
And watch twitter say he doesnt care about anyone when he adds a character they dont want. Sakurai needs a break, but twitter also needs a break
Sakurai should rest but thats not an excuse for developers to stop updates for Smash Bros. They should add new content for next two years at least to keep it fresh. Thats the kind of support full price AAA games should have at 2020
Low carbers, man. Eat some rice and sweet potatoes or a nice big bowl of oats and berries. You'll feel and look a lot better. And Nintendo, give that man at least a year vacation, he deserves it. Yong out.
@WCB I've lost 30 pounds, my acne and rosacea have cleared 100%, my testosterone and overall energy has shot up and I get comments about my "glow" all the time since I started a carnivore diet. I was vegan for almost 7 years before and it was doing more harm than good. That's not to say it's not great for some people but I think it's fair to say that everyone is different.
Long periods of doing the low carb/high protein diet aren’t healthy. His triglycerides are probably thru the roof and you get a lot of intestinal issues with those diets.
I’m fine with games taking months longer if it means the workers ain’t passin out at gym baths and other stuff like that.
Sakurai-san, I understand wanting to give 110% to your job, especially one you love and are dedicated to. But I do think you need to invest a few points into this whole "self-care" concept. It just might be crucial to your health.
He’s exhibiting bad leadership here, and likely causing others on his team to work more hours to keep up with him. I’ve worked with people like that, and it makes for a bad work environment. Sakurai needs an intervention.
That last sentence is a definite long rest, not hopefully. Well, I for one, sincerely hope he does take however much time he can after this game is finished. Hopefully he won't pull another surprise at us and secretly works on more DLC or another game. Come on, there's no hopefully after this. He 'needs' a nice long break. Your body has suffered enough these past 21 years
Why's he doing Keto? For Petey's sake, just eat healthy and a maintenance level of calories.
O crap! Thats not good at all.
If it turns out like this, dont make another smashbros for at least a year, gove the work to someone else for the time being. We fans can be harsh sometimes, its because smash is just legendary and one, no its THE best game i have ever played.
So Sakurai needs eating help. It's time to bring us another Kirby. You can do it Sakurai!
Huge Smash-Bros fan and every character-anouncement is a little party for me.
But I can't really feel sorry here. Everyone is responsible for his own health and (in my opninion) should prioritize this. I'm tired of the countless messages online on every Smash Bros post "from the fans" that poor Sakurai should get a rest. It is not our fault and not our responsibility. Let alone, "Sakurai" is not a one-man-show, he is part of team and I think not everyone understands this when we receive any kind of news about the Smash Bros series.
That can't possibly be healthy in the long run, take a break, Sakurai O.o
No sympathy here, if he want's to work himself to death it up to him, and I am pretty sure there are a lot more harder jobs out there in the world.
Yeah you need to ease into a keto diet.
You have lost PP Privilege
Maybe the successor to Nintendogs can be a Sakurai-san-sim, where the player is put in charge of taking care of everyone’s favourite Smash developer and Kirby creator, ensuring that his meals and nutritionally well balanced and that he has adequate time to rest and recuperate after intense periods of work. We could plan long vacations to all his favourite places, sign him up for weekly yoga sessions, and organise pleasant, low-stress recreational activities outside of work to take his mind off the grind.
Depending on how you raised him, he could grow into different forms, such as ‘Slacker-rai’ (if you don’t make him do his work), ‘Whack-urai’ (if you make him do so much work that he loses his marbles), Stack-urai (if you make him spend all his free time getting stacked at the gym), or ‘Sacked-urai’ (if you make his breach Nintendo’s code of conduct so flagrantly he gets fired).
Or maybe I’m overthinking this.
No. It would be a good game. Everyone would want to play it. Yes.
I don’t which is worse. That this happened, or that I’m not surprised this happened
Isn't that the working culture in Japan, though? That aside, I have never heard anyone in any workplace ever say: don't work longer hours, we are worried about what might happen to your health. Usually, longer hours come WITH the work itself. I've seen workplaces worry about health incl. mental these days, but nobody ever says: work less, even though that is exactly what is needed.
I can tell why this might be his last Smash Bros, it's a ton of work for him to keep up with.
@finalstan yeah Japan’s work culture is notorious for how much is expected of workers. I admire a lot about Japan but their work culture ain’t one of them.
@Piyo Please tell us more about the time you worked for Sakurai.
Ohh....
He will start working with Kid Icarus after he gets his rest.
@Maxz I salute you. Wonderful post, great idea. Please involve PlatinumGames to get this launched on KickStarter. I'm smelling dollars already.
Sakurai doing push ups one handed 'Nintendo 62... Nintendo 63... Ninte... takes a well earned 30 second nap 'Phew! I can return to my outrageous working hours!'
No game is worth health issues, delay 'em
Its sad to see the state that Sakurai overwhelms himself in such a manner that he has to bring IV drips to work in order to get work done. He needs a break. The Fighter Pass can wait, major health issues such as these cannot. I hope Sakurai can find time to take off for himself soon...
Starting to believe this guy is pretty much a work addict at this point. Not healthy at all.
What have you monsters done to him
that’s a yikes from me
@Maxz We all know about Blackurai from Google search results
My empathetic side is concerned for his well being, and in being consumers of his art, we are all part of what pushes him further, and partially to blame as a whole.
But then somewhere in the back of my head I'm all like "Oh snap! If Sakurai is passing out in public, then his next project must be amazi-balls!!"
He loves to work his ass off. He needs to eat better, and stop going to saunas
Hang on what kind of gym can you sit and bath! That’s a pool, lido, or spa?
If only I could sit in a hot tub and tell everyone I’m at the gym!
Well then I guess his skin will be moist..
This man needs a vacation
Please, Sakurai needs to retire permanently and someone needs to replace him.
I want a Fighter Pass 3, but I don't want him making it, he needs a long rest.
@KingBowser86 I have heard about the Keto diet giving you extra brain power, a friend of mine tried it recently and told me you get increased mental clarity.
@wazlon After 7-10 days, you snap out of the initial Brain Fog, so I'd be curious to hear from your friend if they've noted tangible, noticeable increases compared to beforehand ever beginning the diet. As for Sakurai, it could definitely help if he fears neurodegenerative disease of some sort, but should still probably talk to his doctor (especially after this exercise mess).
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-fat-burning-brain-what-are-the-cognitive-effects-of-ketosis/
I have an idea to make Sakurai calmer and relaxed.
Next time they reveal a character, be more thankful to him, stop complaining that it wasn't the character you wanted and they gave us a bad character and a waste of a slot, at least be glad that Sakurai puts effort into making them, and remember that it's not Sakurai who picked the DLC characters, there are 82 Fighters in this game already and we are getting 6 more, it's impossible to please everyone and give us all the characters we want.
@NathanTheAsian but unlike steve jobs saki never stole things concept ect
I feel no sympathy for a person that cant handle their own health. Its great that he likes to work hard but he should also listen to the needs of his body.
A meat-based diet in Japan? Well that takes some coin.....
Jesus Christ, take a vacation and go home @ 6:00pm from now on. We don't need more DLC that badly.
No game is worth someones health.
@KingBowser86 Will have to ask my friend how long she followed the diet for, don't think she's on it currently as it's quite strict. I'm thinking of trying it for myself for other reasons.
@SpaceboyScreams Thanks for sharing about the carnivore diet. Was just wondering if you eat organic and grass fed meat.
@Heavyarms55 Overworking is a common problem in Japan as a whole. The society's all about self-sacrifice for honor for centuries, and in modern times that takes the form of people working to the point of self-neglect. In fact, it's looked down upon to go on paternity/maternity leaves, or even switch jobs in some processions!
Anyone else getting tired of hearing Sakurai spreading the gospel of his favorite martyr? Yeah, we get it, you worked really hard and you probably made the lives of everyone on your team a living hell. Only for all that work to get gimped by Nintendo's inability to built functional on-line services.
@wazlon Absolutely yes as often as I can.
So he was naked?
That's not good at all! Stay healthy, mister Sakurai. Maybe a bit less meat?
Sakurai has to be one of the most selfless people I've even known about. Respect, man. Respect.
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