Super Smash Bros./Kirby's Masahiro Sakurai Directs New Kirby Air Riders Game for Switch 2

Nintendo announced during its Nintendo Switch 2 Direct livestream on Wednesday that Super Smash Bros. game director and Kirby creator Masahiro Sakurai is directing a new game titled Kirby Air Riders for Switch 2. The game is slated for 2025. The game is a sequel to the 2003 Kirby Air Ride racing game for Nintendo GameCube.Sakurai teased in a 46-minute finale special for his YouTube channel about game development last October that he had received a request to write a game proposal in July 2021, which he had finished at lightning speed. He was able to move forward with production with a target timeframe starting April 2022, but he needed time to assemble a team. Thus, he started planning his YouTube channel about game development during that time. He stated that assuming he is able to get the game made, it should be announced "sooner or later."In August 2022, Sakurai launched his YouTube channel about game development, titled "Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games" and styled after his Mr. Sakurai Presents video presentations. In his finale video, Sakura explained that while waiting for the new team was to be assembled, he decided to start the YouTube channel. Until his most recent videos, he had filmed all of the footage for his channel two and a half years ago.Nintendo will release the new Switch 2 console worldwide on June 5.Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe launched for Nintendo Switch in February 2023.Nintendo released the Kirby and the Forgotten Land game for Switch in March 2022.Source: Nintendo Switch 2 Direct livestream