Konami has announced in an official press release that the company is increasing the base salaries for new employees by ¥70,000 in it’s fifth consecutive fiscal year. According to Konami, the substantial raise lets them provide competitive compensation to new recruits and harbor “an environment where every employee can feel comfortable and feel satisfied in their work.”
“By consistently investing in human capital, including the raise of base salary this time, we will aim to improve employee engagement and continue to create better products and services.
“Looking five to ten years ahead into the future, Konami Group is committed to achieving sustainable growth by securing diverse and talented human resources, maximizing the abilities of our employees, and creating both a comfortable and satisfying working environment.”
Konami had been one of the biggest players in the industry at one time, delivering classic franchises such as Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania, and several arcade titles and if you’re a jaded gamer and have been playing for a long time, you’ve probably experienced multiple titles from the publisher at some point. The company is also seeing a bit of resurgence with earning record profits in 2024 and announcing a new Castlevania title that’s set to hit the stores sometimes this year.
In the current state of the industry where most publishers are already using multiple AI tools to accelerate game development which inadvertently results in loss of jobs, it’s definitely refreshing to see a company actually valuing the live human developers in ways that are rewarding as well as inspiring. Perhaps other big corporations can learn a thing or two from Konami as they have recognized that no amount of AI can replace live human developers and produce something that can affect players equally, in an authentic way. It’s not the technologies but the live humans who are at the center of the videogame experience, always.
