The Next Super Smash Bros. Game May Not Be Very Far Away
There's no word of the next Super Smash Bros. game, yet it looks increasingly possible that the next installment in the award-winning and best-selling platform fighter series is not very far away. A new tease from Masahiro Sakurai -- the creator, director, and general godfather of the series -- seems to shed light on the release of his next game, and assuming his next game is the next Super Smash Bros game, then Super Smash Bros. fans aren't far away from reliving they hype cycle all over again. Recently, Sakurai took home the Most Valuable Creator Award at Famitu's awards this year. While accepting the award, Sakurai provided a brief speech that confirmed he's begun working on his next game, a change from his updates in 2021. Of course, Sakurai doesn't divulge what this project is, but does stress that it's been hard work so far. Sakurai is primarily known for Super Smash Bros, so it's hard to imagine this not being the next installment in the series. Minus a brief detour in 2012 with Kid Icarus: Uprising, it's the only series he's worked on since 2005, and there's no way Nintendo wants him to stop.
If it's true that Sakurai recently began work on the next Super Smash Bros. game, this actually tells us a lot about a potential release date. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate took roughly three years to develop. If this pattern repeats, then the next Super Smash Bros. game will release either at the end of 2024 or sometime in 2025.
The time between releases, across the past four installments, has been seven years, six years, and four years. In this regard, a release in 2024 or 2025 also makes sense.
That said, for now, this is assuming previous patterns hold. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate -- while the most ambitious game to date -- was developed quicker than previous games, and there's no guarantee this particular aspect of its development will repeat. Meanwhile, it was only back in December that Sakurai cast doubt on the future of the series.
For now, take everything here for what it is, which is complete speculation. While informed by relevant history and patterns, it's still just speculation.
If the game is going to release in 2023 or 2024, don't expect to hear until 2023 or 2024 as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was revealed and released in the same year, and there's no reason to expect this to change with when and if the next installment comes around.
As always, feel free to share your thoughts and hot-takes in the comments section or, alternatively, hit me up on Twitter @Tyler_Fischer_ and let me know over there. When do you think the next Super Smash Bros. game will release and what do you want to see from it?