GoKawiilSakurai says generative AI will flood market with games, most unprofitable
Super Smash Bros. and Kirby creator Masahiro Sakurai told Denfaminicogamer that generative AI will make it easier to produce games, but most of these AI-assisted titles will fail commercially. He argued that LLMs function as 'stochastic parrots' incapable of creating truly original game concepts, pointing to how the first Super Smash Bros. succeeded by breaking from established fighting-game conventions. A CESA survey cited in the discussion found over 85% of Japanese developers already use some LLM-based tool in their workflow.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Sakurai's comments add a prominent industry voice to debates over whether AI tools will mainly accelerate derivative, low-quality game production rather than genuine innovation. His remarks suggest that even as AI lowers barriers to building playable products, market saturation with similar titles could make profitability harder for smaller studios relying on such tools. The contrast with Epic Games, which has said AI will touch nearly all future titles, shows the industry remains split on whether AI adoption helps or dilutes creative and commercial outcomes.
- Sakurai argues generative AI can mass-produce games but most will be unprofitable copycats.
- He contends true originality, as in the first Super Smash Bros., remains beyond AI's current capability.
- A CESA survey shows over 85% of Japanese developers already use LLM tools in development.
Source: techspot.com — Alfonso Maruccia, 2026-10-22
Published there as: “Super Smash Bros. creator thinks AI will make a lot of games, most won't make money”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.