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It seems Nintendo profits were 4B+ last year. It has ~7000 employees, working out to 500k+ per head in profit (not revenue). I can't readily find compensation d

It seems Nintendo profits were 4B+ last year. It has ~7000 employees, working out to 500k+ per head in profit (not revenue). I can't readily find compensation data but given the low pay in Japan I'd be surprised if the average annual compensation is substantially higher than 100k. They definitely have a lot of room to increase pay despite whatever risk you mean. And it's not like past profits are necessarily going to help "weather the storm".

rtpg 4y ago
If OpenWork snippets [0] are to be believed, sounds like people after a couple of years (5)? are making 7M. People citing entry-level pay as 5M. Managers at 10M JPY. General "salary based on years of service" stuff. Now... I think in Kyoto that's a pretty decent number! Tech company salaries in Kansai are _so much worse_ than in Kanto when I looked (5 years ago but). But if you're in Tokyo and making that... honestly you are gonna be better off elsewhere. I have seen worse numbers at other game companies, but hearing 500k+ per head in profit, it's kind of disgusting they don't pay a bit more. [0] https://www.vorkers.com/company_answer.php?m_id=a0910000000FrgK&q_no=2 https://www.vorkers.com/company_answer.php?m_id=a0910000000F...
- deleted 4y ago
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- dchftcs 4y ago
  To add insult to injury, I'm guessing the lawyers that help them enforce their IPs are paid better than their top engineers and artists, also because of a disparity in typical outside options. My experience with Japanese people and some anectodes from a friend who worked at Nintendo is that bureaucracy, culture expectations that you shouldn't change jobs at all, and English ability are some of the strong limiting factors for Japanese rank and file employees to achieve high pay. It's a shame as Japan has so many smart people who are both down to earth and innovative.
Wolfenstein98k 4y ago
"And it's not like past profits are necessarily going to help "weather the storm"." It is if they're not paying out (all) the profits to shareholders. Nothing stopping them building a war chest for tough times. Maybe that's why they're increasing pay and apparently not laying off staff, when competitors are doing the inverse?
diceduckmonk 4y ago
> 500k+ per head in profit I expect Nintendo to have a different workforce composition than your typical SaaS. They will proportionally have more artists and translators, who have less leverage/alternatives in the labor market than engineers. That would explain a lower expense line in the profit formula. Obviously, this is not a value judgement. Diamonds cost more than water, at the margin, but that doesn't mean one is more important than the other.
- red-iron-pine 4y ago
  > They will proportionally have more artists and translators, who have less leverage/alternatives in the labor market than engineers. That would explain a lower expense line in the profit formula. And not just artists, but artists at a name-brand company that shape games. People from all over the world would line up around the block for days, buddhist monk style, to get an artist job there. They can pay at or below market rate just because folks would kill to design the next Metroid game.

rtpg 4y ago

If OpenWork snippets [0] are to be believed, sounds like people after a couple of years (5)? are making 7M. People citing entry-level pay as 5M. Managers at 10M JPY. General "salary based on years of service" stuff. Now... I think in Kyoto that's a pretty decent number! Tech company salaries in Kansai are _so much worse_ than in Kanto when I looked (5 years ago but). But if you're in Tokyo and making that... honestly you are gonna be better off elsewhere. I have seen worse numbers at other game companies, but hearing 500k+ per head in profit, it's kind of disgusting they don't pay a bit more. [0] https://www.vorkers.com/company_answer.php?m_id=a0910000000FrgK&q_no=2 https://www.vorkers.com/company_answer.php?m_id=a0910000000F...

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
dchftcs 4y ago
To add insult to injury, I'm guessing the lawyers that help them enforce their IPs are paid better than their top engineers and artists, also because of a disparity in typical outside options. My experience with Japanese people and some anectodes from a friend who worked at Nintendo is that bureaucracy, culture expectations that you shouldn't change jobs at all, and English ability are some of the strong limiting factors for Japanese rank and file employees to achieve high pay. It's a shame as Japan has so many smart people who are both down to earth and innovative.

Wolfenstein98k 4y ago

"And it's not like past profits are necessarily going to help "weather the storm"." It is if they're not paying out (all) the profits to shareholders. Nothing stopping them building a war chest for tough times. Maybe that's why they're increasing pay and apparently not laying off staff, when competitors are doing the inverse?

diceduckmonk 4y ago

> 500k+ per head in profit I expect Nintendo to have a different workforce composition than your typical SaaS. They will proportionally have more artists and translators, who have less leverage/alternatives in the labor market than engineers. That would explain a lower expense line in the profit formula. Obviously, this is not a value judgement. Diamonds cost more than water, at the margin, but that doesn't mean one is more important than the other.

red-iron-pine 4y ago
> They will proportionally have more artists and translators, who have less leverage/alternatives in the labor market than engineers. That would explain a lower expense line in the profit formula. And not just artists, but artists at a name-brand company that shape games. People from all over the world would line up around the block for days, buddhist monk style, to get an artist job there. They can pay at or below market rate just because folks would kill to design the next Metroid game.