Journalists GamesIndustry.biz tried to find out about the crunch situation inside From Softwarebut employees only spoke to them on an anonymous basis.
The reason for the analysis was the negative reviews about the problems within the studio, which again “surfaced” in Twitter. The reviews themselves appeared between 2012 and 2019. At the same time, the participants From Software cannot give interviews without permission (even if they no longer work in the studio).
One source noted that the stereotypes about Japan, where everyone works non-stop, are exaggerated. There are many holidays in the country, and From Software has a rule that employees should not stay later than a certain time – and 90% of employees leave almost an hour earlier.
The working day consists of eight hours, but the schedule itself is “flexible”. At the same time, other sources note that there is still a certain level of crunch in the studio. It seems to vary by department. According to one of the employees, during the critical period of the release, certain revisions last for two to three months.
These words were confirmed by another member of the studio, although he added that in a normal situation there are no such problems. Overtime is usually included in the salary, but for night hours (after midnight) employees received half the usual hourly rate.
As of May 2022, From Software had 349 employees, which also affects salaries and bonuses. The average salary for the year is just under $25,000, which some employees don’t seem to be very happy about.
In February the publisher Bandai Namco announced an increase in salaries (an average of $ 362 per month) – all because of success Elder Ring. But there are no plans to make such gestures in From Software itself.
Finally, various sources noted that there are problems inside the studio, but in general they were satisfied with their working experience.
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