Smash Bros. Creator Is Sick, Can Barely Play His Own Game But Keeps Developing Anyway

CCC Says: "Last year Masahiro Sakurai revealed that he is suffering from calcific tendinitis. For those of you not versed in the ways of muscle diseases, calcific tendinitis is when deposits of crystalline calcium phosphate end up growing in your tendons. This causes immense pain and eventually paralysis. It ain’t fun."

[Neoninja]

That's some pretty good dedication right there. I also learned something new about muscle disease. I'm sure the game will turn out good, and hopefully after it's done he takes a well needed and long vacation.

I always have admired people who can overcome things like this. It shows a true mind over matter. Makes my complaints seem down right childish.

[MrSwankSinatra]

An exactly why does nintendo not pay for his surgery to have this fixed? let me guess they're so damn cheap when it comes to making hardware they are just a cheap when it comes to the health of their employee's.

[360ICE]

Not to burst your bubble, but not every disease or case of disease is operable.

Also, in Japan there's this thing called mandatory health insurance, so I'm guessing he'd be able to pay for it himself. If you're from USA chances are you're hearing about.

[MrSwankSinatra]

calcific tendinitis has a 90% success rate of removing deposits from you tendons. i would know because my aunt had this. so chances are you're "READING" this don't assume you know what you're talking about when you don't. btw he shouldn't have to pay for his surgery nintendo should be doing everything they can to keep their employees healthy seeing as they don't have many options when it comes to having games on the wii u, letting your employee work like this is not only stupid but unnecessary. no matter what the circumstances are.

[360ICE]

And it's reasonable to assume that they would (seeing how they're allowing him to work less and to not show up at work more than once a week), just like it's reasonable to assume that someone who has a health insurance and a presumably decent job would manage the deductible for therapy or surgery.

Here's the thing: Not every case of a disease is equally easy to attack or manage. It may very well not be permanent, but if it has spread like the article states then I'm guessing that could make it more complicated to treat swiftly. Seeing how there are very few details about the nature of his treatment, I do not know why you would try to pin this on Nintendo.

So yeah, the best of wishes to Masahiro Sakurai.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

It's more likely that he's refusing treatment until he finishes the project, so as not to lose focus.
That or his medical isn't as good as we'd like to believe.

[Geekman]

You act like it's somehow Nintendos fault he's sick. He has insurance, so like Neoninja said, he could pay for it himself if he wanted to. And even if Sakurai couldn't he is not some sacred god within the company that Nintendo needs to worship. I hope he gets better, but Nintendo is in no way responsible for his illness.

[Ck1x]

Why do people always try and make things Nintendo's fault! There are lots of things that they've done wrong with the WiiU, but I'm not gonna blame whether a disease should be cured or child hunger on them...

[hated_individual]

We need to give this man a respect...

He should be example to all developers!

[NarooN]

Best of luck to Sakurai-san and the dev team. I hope he can recover completely from that damned disease.

[fight4love]

japanese work ethic is ridiculous.