Key Highlights:
- Nintendo has announced a 10% increase to the base salary of employees in Japan.
- The company also confirmed legendary developer Takashi Tezuka will remain at Nintendo as a producer.
- Both announcements came during Nintendo’s latest annual shareholder meeting.
Nintendo has announced a 10% increase to the base salary of its employees in Japan, reinforcing its long-standing reputation for investing in its workforce during a period when layoffs continue to affect studios across the games industry.
The announcement was made during Nintendo’s latest annual shareholder meeting after an investor asked president Shuntaro Furukawa how the company rewards employees despite not having a labour union. Furukawa replied that Nintendo believes it is important to maintain an “appropriate level” of salary and compensation, leading to the sizeable pay rise.
The move stands out at a time when many developers are facing an uncertain future. Even successful releases have not guaranteed job security, with studios announcing layoffs despite strong sales and player numbers. Marvel Rivals surpassed 40 million players within months of launch before members of its US development team were let go, while Battlefield Studios also reduced staff despite Battlefield 6 becoming 2025’s best-selling game.
Nintendo is not the only Japanese publisher rewarding employees through higher pay, but its latest decision continues a growing trend among some of the industry’s biggest names. Capcom increased employee salaries by around 30% in 2022, FromSoftware followed with a 12% rise in 2025, and Atlus boosted average salaries by roughly 15% while also reducing mandatory working hours. Pearl Abyss also rewarded staff with sizeable bonuses after Crimson Desert reached five million copies sold.
The shareholder meeting also answered another question that had been circulating among Nintendo fans for weeks.
Takashi Tezuka, one of Nintendo’s most influential developers, is not retiring after all. Earlier company documents suggested the 65-year-old was leaving the business after stepping down as an executive officer, leading many to believe his 42-year career at Nintendo had come to an end.
Instead, Furukawa confirmed that Tezuka will continue working on game development before inviting the veteran creator to speak directly to shareholders.
Tezuka explained that his term as an executive officer had simply reached its conclusion. Reflecting on more than four decades with Nintendo, he described his career as “truly enjoyable work” and looked back on seeing the industry evolve from the early Famicom era through to 3D gaming, stereoscopic visuals and motion controls.
He closed by confirming that he will remain with Nintendo as a producer, receiving warm applause from those attending the meeting.
Tezuka joined Nintendo in 1984 and worked alongside Shigeru Miyamoto on landmark titles including Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda before directing classics such as Yoshi’s Island and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. His continued involvement means one of Nintendo’s most experienced creative voices will still help shape future projects despite stepping away from executive responsibilities.
The shareholder meeting covered several other topics, although many investor questions received broad responses. Furukawa highlighted Nintendo’s approach to employee compensation when asked about labour representation, while other questions surrounding artificial intelligence and future software plans were answered without revealing significant new details.
I have to say that the combination of these announcements paints a positive picture of Nintendo’s long-term approach. Increasing employee pay while keeping experienced developers such as Tezuka involved shows the company values both its current workforce and the people who helped build its biggest franchises.
At a time when much of the industry is focused on cost-cutting, Nintendo appears to be investing in stability instead.
Nintendo has demonstrated a similar philosophy before. During the difficult Wii U era, former president Satoru Iwata famously accepted a 50% pay cut to help protect jobs rather than reducing staff numbers. While today’s circumstances are very different, the latest salary increase suggests the company continues to place considerable importance on retaining its talent.
Although the wider games industry still faces rising development costs, hardware price increases and ongoing uncertainty, Nintendo’s latest shareholder meeting delivered two pieces of encouraging news: employees are receiving a meaningful pay rise, and one of the company’s most celebrated developers will remain involved in creating games for years to come.