Masahiro Sakurai
Image: Nintendo

Update 2: We've now independently translated ryokutya2089's reporting on Sakurai's column — the comments read as follows:

"Everything that has a beginning has an ending."
Article about taking a break from game development during the GW [Golden Week] and thinking about growing old and longing to retire early.
"I feel that while I can still work, it is best to keep myself busy and give it my all while being patient."
"I am thinking of ending this column a while after releasing all the DLCs for the Smash Brothers SP. Within this year, in any case."
"I won't be retiring from the game industry completely, though."

Update: We now have a translation of Sakurai's full column thanks to @KodyNOKOLO and @Sephazon, offering a clearer picture of the context surrounding his comments on retirement.

Sharing a summary of Sakurai's own words, @KodyNOKOLO writes, "He was able to stop working long enough to let his thoughts percolate in his time off. He doesn’t want to keep working forever after he's older. He says that honestly if he had a little more free time he thinks his days would be more fun. He likes the idea of an early retirement!"

@Sephazon adds, "Sakurai says that while the experiences people create can last forever, personal work will always come to an end someday. As long as he works, he will do his best to entertain people. He says that society is built upon such experiences, regardless of the medium and genre..."

"As long as he can continue to create new experiences, he will. Even if he’s busy, he believes it’s best to push on and do as much as you can. He does, however, express doubt whether this feeling is best suited for the times."

Speaking about his Famitsu column, Sakurai reportedly says that "he’ll continue for just a little longer."

Original Article: Super Smash Bros. series director Masahiro Sakurai is reportedly considering early retirement, according to early translations of his latest Famitsu column.

Snippets of the column have been shared online by ryokutya2089 and translated by VGC; the beloved developer and director has reportedly shared that he's recently thought about life after game development, and has suggested that an early retirement could appeal to him. "Everything must come to an end," Sakurai reportedly writes.

The idea of Sakurai retiring from game development early has arisen several times in the past; he's previously revealed that he battled through health issues with an IV drip to work on Ultimate, leaving some fans concerned for his wellbeing and actively hoping that he takes a break.

It's said that Sakurai also mentions the possibility of ending his regular Famitsu column once Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's final DLC has been released, although he also reportedly adds that “this doesn’t mean I’ll stop working on games."

Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighters Pass Vol 2
Two more DLC fighters are confirmed but yet to be revealed for Smash Ultimate.

As VGC mentions, Ryokutya has been accurately reporting on early snippets of Sakurai's Famitsu columns for some time, although full translations should offer a clearer picture when they arrive later in the week.

[source ryokutya2089.com, via videogameschronicle.com]