Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai has taken to YouTube to talk about why he believes online multiplayer isn’t the right fit for the Smash Bros. franchise.
The Super Smash Bros. franchise, despite its massive success, has always suffered quite a few problems when it comes to online multiplayer options. Series creator Masahiro Sakurai recently talked about online multiplayer in the franchise in a recent video on video game creation.
Noticed by IGNSakurai’s latest video has talked about it Super Smash Bros. Brawl, released on the Nintendo Wii, and its online multiplayer operation. In the video, Sakurai states that he doesn’t feel like online multiplayer is a good fit for the Smash Bros. franchise.
“I don’t think to play online and Smash Bros. are a very good fit for each other,” said Sakurai. “One of the best parts of Smash Bros. is how players can become champions among their friends. But being the subject of online competition can cause people to lose confidence, which isn’t great.”
Sakurai also goes on to talk about the multiplayer implementation in the game, and how it uses fully synchronous communication compared to the asynchronous communication used in Mario Kart games with online multiplayer. Fully synchronous communication means that the timing for each player’s input is synchronized in every single frame.
Due to network requirements Smash Bros. Sakurai says online play in the games can often be patchy unless you’re playing with others not only in the same country, but in the same region as well.
Sakurai also talks about other aspects of Super Smash Bros. Brawl in the video, including single player content such as the Subspace Emissary game mode. You can check out the video below.
