Sakurai Says Original Games Resist AI Copying but Sell Harder
Masahiro Sakurai told Denfaminico Gamer that generative AI can only draw on what came before, and that most copycat projects will fade into obscurity.
Masahiro Sakurai, the developer behind Kirby and Super Smash Bros., said in an interview with the Japanese outlet Denfaminico Gamer that original games are harder for generative AI to rip off, but also harder to sell.
Sakurai said generative AI can only draw on what has come before and cannot create something genuinely new. Because of that, he argued, original work is more difficult for AI to reproduce. The same quality, he added, can make an original game a tougher commercial proposition.
He pointed to Librarian, a simple game released in April 2025, as an example of a concept that is easy for AI to retool. Even so, Sakurai said most AI-driven copycat projects will die in obscurity.
His advice to players was straightforward: keep your money and attention for human-made games.
Quick answers
What did Masahiro Sakurai say about generative AI and games?
He said generative AI can only draw on what has come before and cannot create something new, which makes original games harder to rip off, though also harder to sell.
Where did Sakurai make these comments?
In an interview with the Japanese outlet Denfaminico Gamer.
What game did Sakurai cite as easy for AI to copy?
Librarian, a simple game released in April 2025.