Masahiro Sakurai, the renowned director of the Super Smash Bros. series, has hinted at the possibility of working on a new game following the release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2018. In his final YouTube video, which marked the end of his channel, Sakurai teased that he has been developing a new project since April 2022. He mentioned that he was approached with a game proposal in 2021 while completing the final DLC for Ultimate and quickly submitted a proposal that was approved1410.
Although specific details about this new project remain scarce, speculation suggests it could be related to either a new Super Smash Bros. title or a revival of the Kid Icarus franchise, given Sakurai's past involvement with both series. He acknowledged in previous statements that any future Smash Bros. game would be difficult to envision without his direct involvement, emphasizing the rarity of a successful continuation of a series without its original creator379.
Sakurai has expressed interest in creating a follow-up to Ultimate, potentially with a more streamlined roster and gameplay adjustments. He noted that while he feels the franchise has peaked in terms of content, there is still room for innovation and exploration within the series37. Thus, while Sakurai's next game remains officially unannounced, his ongoing engagement with Nintendo suggests that fans may see another project from him in the future.