The acclaimed creator of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Masahiro Sakurai, has been awarded the Art Encouragement Prize by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of the Japanese government. This prestigious accolade recognizes his contributions to game development and the impact of his YouTube channel, where he shared insights about game design with a wide audience.

While it’s been years since the release of Smash Bros. Ultimate, Sakurai has maintained his presence in the gaming community through his YouTube videos, making complex concepts accessible to both Japanese and international viewers. Nonetheless, his future plans remain somewhat ambiguous as he enjoys a period of semi-retirement. Despite that, fans continue to speculate about his next move in the gaming industry.

Sakurai humorously acknowledged the award on Twitter, expressing gratitude and lightheartedly questioning if this means he can call himself ‘a cultural person.’ Given the enduring popularity of Smash Bros. Ultimate, which is currently one of the best-selling titles on the Nintendo Switch, many eagerly await any news about potential new projects from Sakurai.