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Interview with Masahiro Sakurai reveals he uses an IV drip to keep working while sick

Professor Beef

Professor Beef

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Oct 25, 2017
22,501
The Digital World
Source: https://nintendoeverything.com/saku...sing-bosses-and-spirits-new-stages-much-more/

Sakurai had an interview with Nintendo Dream (translated by Nintendo Everything, linked above) where he discusses some things, including working while ill.

Sakurai: Well, actually… I still had a lot of stomach problems.

You did? (laughs)

Sakurai: Yeah, a ton.

So what do you do when that sort of thing happens? I actually had a case of acute gastroenteritis recently.

Sakurai: That sounds rough. When you've got symptoms like food poisoning, you definitely have to go to the hospital, right? I've had that situation once or twice before during development. It was like I got food poisoning from some oysters that I didn't eat.

Even though you hadn't eaten any. (laughs)

Sakurai: It was like my food had come into contact with them or something. But I cook my food thoroughly… Why did I get sick?

Uh, so… Do you take some time off when that happens?

Sakurai: No, I don't. I just get an IV drip and go to work like normal.

Are you serious?!

Sakurai: I guess I'm a hard worker? (wry laughter) I'm a freelancer, so I don't have any strict rules on my time. As long as I can complete the game, I could show up to the office once per week and I think it'd be within the realm of forgiveness. But instead I make sure I come to work every day and write proper daily reports and such. I'm always working, but there's a lot of things that keep me in good spirits!
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The freakiest part is that this didn't come from external pressure. He ELECTED to do it. Sakurai pls...take a break.
 
LewieP

LewieP

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Oct 26, 2017
18,102
The real Smash Bros DLC I want to see is "Sakurai taking a months long beach holiday".
 
Sgt. Demblant

Sgt. Demblant

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Oct 25, 2017
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Nintendo please just give him a lifetime achievement award or something and then force him to take a vacation at gunpoint.
 
OwOtacon

OwOtacon

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Dec 18, 2018
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I mean this in the most polite way possible

Sakurai, take a break. Maybe retire.
 
JMTHEFOX

JMTHEFOX

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
888
Brooklyn, NY
YIKES

Sakurai, I appreciate your dedication to making a great game, but holy shit please don't risk so much of your health. Take a serious break ASAP.
 
Dyle

Dyle

One Winged Slayer
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
29,954
That must be why he looks so young

But seriously that's so fucked up, wtf
 
Quad Lasers

Quad Lasers

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Oct 26, 2017
3,542
Uh, at a certain point someone at Nintendo probably needs to tell him that he's fucking insane and needs to go home.
 

Deleted member 249

User requested account closure
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Oct 25, 2017
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What in the fuck
This is beond a joke now. Fucking take a break Sakurai. People can accept a game that's a 9/10 over a 10/10, you need to fucking look after your health.
 
B-Dubs

B-Dubs

That's some catch, that catch-22
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Oct 25, 2017
32,788
Sakurai is like Oda, just gonna work himself to death if people aren't careful.
 
Strings

Strings

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Oct 27, 2017
31,432
giphy.gif

B-Dubs said:
Sakurai is like Oda, just gonna work himself to death if people aren't careful.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karōshi
 
Alpheus

Alpheus

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,658
jfc I'd rather shit be delayed and he get some leave cuz....ugh that's not good for anybody.
edit: this goes for all devs in general
 
lord_of_flood

lord_of_flood

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Jan 1, 2018
1,743
Good lord, that deeply concerns me. I don't know if this kind of dedication is exclusive to Sakurai or if it's symptomatic of Japanese work culture as a whole, but either way this man needs to take the longest vacation of his life.
 
boris_feinbrand

boris_feinbrand

Member
Oct 26, 2017
6,577
As someone that has severely damaged his health on different jobs ever since I was 14 I can relate. I hate myself for what I did, but I would probably do it again for a job I love.
 
V_ac

V_ac

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Jul 2, 2018
3,798
Jesus Sakurai, it's fine to take a break. The game won't suffer for anyway if you do.
 
Lunar15

Lunar15

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,647
He seems beyond help if he elects to do this stuff.

At this point, I'm more worried about the people at namco working on the project. I often hear about problems in Asian work cultures where you're often expected to work as long or longer than your superior. Hopefully that's not the case here.
 
Dice

Dice

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Oct 25, 2017
22,399
Canada
Honestly wish I was a robot sometimes so I can keep working.... but when I get sick I know my body is telling me to sit the fuck down and sleep.
 
Thuddert

Thuddert

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Oct 25, 2017
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This is also why it's important to take care of yourself when you're in charge of your own company. For your own health, but also for signaling to those that work under you that health is more important than work.

Working with an IV drip is the extreme version of this. Sakurai is a workaholic and this behavior is toxic.
 
Hours Left

Hours Left

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Oct 26, 2017
18,424
Take it from someone who almost did, do whatever it takes to avoid working yourself to death.
 
Thoraxes

Thoraxes

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Oct 25, 2017
1,197
Gehenna
I'll have to check the original article when I get home, but I'm wondering if it's not supposed to be more he goes to the hospital, is given an IV, then when finished at the hospital goes to work after.

Not that that's much better, but still.
 
Raijinto

Raijinto

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Oct 28, 2017
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Sakurai. Don't make another Smash again- I say this as the biggest Smash fan there is. You have more than earned the break at this point.
 
Strings

Strings

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Oct 27, 2017
31,432
This behaviour is also extremely worrying after seeing what happened to Sion Sono recently :(
 
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