FromSoftware boosts employee wages following years of low pay

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FromSoftware, one of the most prestigious video game makers in Japan, has increased its base salary for all existing employees and newly-hired graduates.

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Action RPG maven FromSoftware is boosting its monthly and annual salaries of existing and new employees, the company has announced. Base salary of current workers has been increased by nearly 12%, and new graduates will be offered 300,000 yen per month, which is little over $2,000 USD. That's not a lot to live on, especially if workers aim to live locally in Shinjuku City, Tokyo.

The news comes after years of discussion surrounding FromSoftware's comparatively low pay; former games journalist and NoClip documentarian Danny O' Dwyer said this on Twitter:

"I know people are celebrating this but it's worth considering that FROM's low salary compared to other developers in Tokyo has been an talking point for years now. Also Bandai Namco increased wages this much immediately after Elden Ring came out. Which was 32 months ago."

One anonymous source told GamesIndustry.biz in 2022 that FromSoftware's previous salary "is not adequate," and other employees "did not appear satisfied with their salaries either."

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It's worth noting that Elden Ring, which has become far and away FromSoftware's most successful game, has sold over 23 million copies as of June 2024. The game's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion was also summarily popular, accounting for 58% of Bandai Namco's total Q1 sales volume.

Check below for the press release announcement via FromSotware:

FromSoftware, Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; President: Hidetaka Miyazaki) announced that from April 2025, enrolled employees will receive an average basic salary increase of approximately 11.8%. The starting salary for new graduates will also be increased from 260,000 yen to 300,000 yen.

At FromSoftware, we strive to make games that convey emotion, create value, and inspire joy. To this end, we are working towards stable income and a rewarding work environment where our employees can apply themselves to development. The increase in base and starting salaries is one implementation of this policy.