Capcom has announced that it will raise the starting salary for new graduates by almost 30% in Japan in a move to attract "exceptional talent" to the studio.
In a press release, Capcom revealed that in the 2025 fiscal year, graduate starting salaries will rise from ¥235,000 (about $1570) per month to ¥300,000 (about $2000) per month, representing an increase of 28%.
In addition, the Japanese company announced that it intends to raise the average employee salary by 5% across the board during the 2024 fiscal year, although it's not clear whether that means an across-the-board salary increase or just a boost for certain departments.
That's not all, though. Current Capcom employees in Japan, as well as those who join during the 2024 fiscal year, will be awarded a "one-time special payment" which the studio says constitutes "an investment in the people who support the future of the company".
All in all, it seems like a pretty good time to be an employee of Capcom in Japan. Sadly, there's no indication regarding whether Capcom intends to raise the salaries of its Western employees in a similar vein.
Capcom is far from the only Japanese studio to have raised salaries in recent years. In November last year, Persona developer Atlus raised average employee salaries by 15%, and its parent company Sega boosted average employee salaries by 30% in February that same year.
News of Capcom's salary increases comes at a time when much of the industry is in turmoil. Many studios are facing layoffs, downsizing operations, or outright closure.
Studios affected by the recent wave of layoffs include (but are sadly not limited to) The Expanse developer Deck Nine, The Dark Pictures studio Supermassive Games, and even giants like Sony and Hasbro.
We'll bring you more on all things gaming industry-related as soon as we get it.
