In the recent Nintendo Direct, the first-party lineup for Switch2 included "Kirby Air Riders," which garnered attention with a brief CG trailer. Official sources have confirmed that Masahiro Sakurai, often referred to as the "Father of Smash Bros." and the director of the 2003 NGC version of "Kirby Air Ride," will return to helm this sequel after a 22-year hiatus. Additionally, Sakurai has disclosed another crucial detail.
Masahiro Sakurai recently announced on Twitter that Bandai Namco Studios will be responsible for developing "Kirby: Air Riders." This isn't the first time the studio has worked on a project directed by Sakurai; they were also behind the development of "Super Smash Bros. for WiiU/3DS" and "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate."
Bandai Namco has contributed to the development of several Nintendo first-party games, including "Mario Kart 7," "Mario Kart Tour," "Mario Sports Superstars," and "ARMS." In 2023, Bandai Namco officially announced the creation of their "Second Studio" and "S Studio," both dedicated to handling projects commissioned by Nintendo.
"Kirby: Air Riders" is set to launch exclusively on the Switch 2 later this year.