{"id":1829273,"date":"2026-03-16T11:39:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T08:39:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1829273"},"modified":"2026-03-16T11:39:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T08:39:13","slug":"in-an-industry-beset-by-layoffs-and-crunch-japanese-publisher-atlus-is-raising-salaries-and-working-to-reduce-fixed-overtime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1829273","title":{"rendered":"In an industry beset by layoffs and crunch, Japanese publisher Atlus is raising salaries and working to reduce fixed overtime"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article \" data-ads=\"true\" data-article-type=\"news\" data-article-group=\"news\" data-paywalled=\"false\" data-premium=\"false\" data-sponsored=\"false\" data-type=\"article\">\n<header class=\"article_header\" data-component=\"article-header\">\n<div class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<nav class=\"nav_breadcrumbs\" data-component=\"nav-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\n<ul class=\"nav-links\">\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Home<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/news\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      News<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<li>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/games\/persona-5-royal\" data-active=\"false\"><br \/>\n                      Persona 5 Royal<br \/>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_details\" id=\"main-content\">\n<h1 class=\"title\">In an industry beset by layoffs and crunch, Japanese publisher Atlus is raising salaries and working to reduce fixed overtime<\/h1>\n<p class=\"strapline\">&#8220;We consider investment in human resources to be indispensable.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"headline_asset\">\n<figure class=\"headline_image_wrapper\">\n<p>        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"headline_image\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/ss_a3258aba84ae2f2ff13a02a160f7495bfc152adb.jpg?width=570&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;dpr=3&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Three animated schoolkid characters from Persona 5: Ann with blonde pigtails, Ryuji in red t-shirt, and bespectacled male protagonist with dark hair\" loading=\"eager\" data-uri=\"ss_a3258aba84ae2f2ff13a02a160f7495bfc152adb.jpg\" data-lightbox width=\"570\" height=\"321\"><figcaption>\n          <span class=\"attribution\">Image credit: <cite>Atlus<\/cite><\/span><br \/>\n        <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metadata\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n<p>    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/assetsio.gnwcdn.com\/fran-j-ruiz-author.png?width=2048&amp;height=2048&amp;fit=bounds&amp;quality=85&amp;format=jpg&amp;auto=webp\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\"><\/p>\n<p>  <img alt=\"Fran Ruiz avatar\" data-autosize=\"crop_lossy\" data-uri=\"fran-j-ruiz-author.png\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\">\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text\">\n<div class=\"byline\">\n                  <span class=\"article_type\" data-slug=\"news\"><br \/>\n                    News<br \/>\n                  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"by\">by<\/span> <span class=\"author\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/authors\/fran-ruiz\">Fran Ruiz<\/a><\/span>                    <span class=\"job_title\"><br \/>\n                      Contributor<br \/>\n                    <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n<div class=\"published_at\">\nPublished on <time datetime=\"2026-03-16T11:39:13+00:00\">March 16, 2026<\/time>              <\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">\n      <a class=\"comments__link comments-bubble\" href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/atlus-raising-employee-salaries-and-reducing-overtime-hours-april-2026?view=comments\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n          17 comments<br \/>\n      <\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mypop-header-wrapper\">\n<p><button class=\"mypop-button button wide\" data-state=\"follow\" data-type=\"tag\" data-uuid=\"03184a7a-41d9-4d68-8c0f-ab0718f4bd4e\" data-name=\"Persona 5 Royal\" data-follow-text=\"Follow Persona 5 Royal\" data-unfollow-text=\"Following Persona 5 Royal\" data-aria-follow-text=\"Follow Persona 5 Royal\" data-aria-unfollow-text=\"Following Persona 5 Royal\" data-popup=\"true\" data-force-login=\"true\" aria-label=\"Follow Persona 5 Royal\" title=\"Follow Persona 5 Royal\"><br \/>\n  Follow Persona 5 Royal<br \/>\n<\/button>          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Yesterday, we learned of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/warner-bros-montreal-devs-report-layoffs\">layoffs at Warner Bros. Montr\u00e9al<\/a>, the latest in a unbearably long list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/skate-developer-full-circle-confirms-layoffs-claims-commitment-to-the-games-future-remains-strong\">bad games industry news<\/a> in recent months. Today, for a change, we have a positive bit of industry news, this time coming from Japanese publisher Atlus (who you&#8217;ll probably know for Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Metaphor ReFantazio).<\/p>\n<p>Via <a href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/persona-developer-atlus-to-raise-starting-salaries-for-new-hires-and-increase-existing-employees-base-pay-by-15-fixed-overtime-to-be-reduced\/\">Automaton<\/a>, we&#8217;ve taken a look at <a href=\"https:\/\/prtimes.jp\/main\/html\/rd\/p\/000000009.000074872.html\">Atlus&#8217; latest press release<\/a>, which focuses on efforts to &#8220;foster the creativity and improve the productivity of each and every employee.&#8221; The Persona developer has been enjoying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/metaphor-refantazio-has-sold-2m-units-worldwide-atlus-officially-reveals\">a fair amount of success<\/a> in recent times, and following giants like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.videogameschronicle.com\/news\/sega-is-raising-japanese-employees-salaries-again-three-years-after-its-previous-increase\/\">Sega<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.videogameschronicle.com\/news\/capcom-is-increasing-its-starting-salary-in-japan-by-more-than-25\/\">Capcom<\/a>, a bit more of that money will begin to trickle down to the employees doing the hard work.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s no secret things are a bit dire worldwide right now, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/economy\/japans-consumer-inflation-cooled-in-last-month-of-2025-cb08f50d\">Japan has been struggling a lot<\/a> with the cost of living and basic resources in recent years, which partially explains the bump to salaries the successful enough video game companies are trying to push. The shocker is how Asian developers are <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2025\/12\/05\/nintendo-98-percent-staff-retention-rate-average-employee-15-years\/\">doubling down on staff retention<\/a> and paying attention to the value of having experienced workers accelerate new game projects, which has resulted in certain franchises putting out new entries at a rapid pace, especially when compared to the general slowness of Western triple-A game development.<\/p>\n<p>The &#8220;base salary increase&#8221; will raise &#8220;the starting salary for new graduates from 300,000 yen to 330,000 yen,&#8221; with the average annual income which full-time and contract employees get increasing by 15% percent as well. Moreover, &#8220;fixed overtime hours&#8221; are going down from 30 to 20, which is quite a substantial reduction.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We will continue to support our employees in maintaining stable lives and create an environment where they can work with greater peace of mind,&#8221; Atlus&#8217; statement added. Changes will be applied starting next month, April 2026.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"preferred-source\" data-component=\"preferred-source\">\nLove Eurogamer.net? Make us a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\">Preferred Source on Google<\/a> and catch more of our coverage in your feeds.  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article_body\" data-component=\"article-content\">\n<div class=\"article_body_content article-styling\">\n<p>Yesterday, we learned of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/warner-bros-montreal-devs-report-layoffs\">layoffs at Warner Bros. Montr\u00e9al<\/a>, the latest in a unbearably long list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/skate-developer-full-circle-confirms-layoffs-claims-commitment-to-the-games-future-remains-strong\">bad games industry news<\/a> in recent months. Today, for a change, we have a positive bit of industry news, this time coming from Japanese publisher Atlus (who you&#8217;ll probably know for Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Metaphor ReFantazio).<\/p>\n<p>Via <a href=\"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/persona-developer-atlus-to-raise-starting-salaries-for-new-hires-and-increase-existing-employees-base-pay-by-15-fixed-overtime-to-be-reduced\/\">Automaton<\/a>, we&#8217;ve taken a look at <a href=\"https:\/\/prtimes.jp\/main\/html\/rd\/p\/000000009.000074872.html\">Atlus&#8217; latest press release<\/a>, which focuses on efforts to &#8220;foster the creativity and improve the productivity of each and every employee.&#8221; The Persona developer has been enjoying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\/metaphor-refantazio-has-sold-2m-units-worldwide-atlus-officially-reveals\">a fair amount of success<\/a> in recent times, and following giants like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.videogameschronicle.com\/news\/sega-is-raising-japanese-employees-salaries-again-three-years-after-its-previous-increase\/\">Sega<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.videogameschronicle.com\/news\/capcom-is-increasing-its-starting-salary-in-japan-by-more-than-25\/\">Capcom<\/a>, a bit more of that money will begin to trickle down to the employees doing the hard work.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s no secret things are a bit dire worldwide right now, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/economy\/japans-consumer-inflation-cooled-in-last-month-of-2025-cb08f50d\">Japan has been struggling a lot<\/a> with the cost of living and basic resources in recent years, which partially explains the bump to salaries the successful enough video game companies are trying to push. The shocker is how Asian developers are <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2025\/12\/05\/nintendo-98-percent-staff-retention-rate-average-employee-15-years\/\">doubling down on staff retention<\/a> and paying attention to the value of having experienced workers accelerate new game projects, which has resulted in certain franchises putting out new entries at a rapid pace, especially when compared to the general slowness of Western triple-A game development.<\/p>\n<p>The &#8220;base salary increase&#8221; will raise &#8220;the starting salary for new graduates from 300,000 yen to 330,000 yen,&#8221; with the average annual income which full-time and contract employees get increasing by 15% percent as well. Moreover, &#8220;fixed overtime hours&#8221; are going down from 30 to 20, which is quite a substantial reduction.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We will continue to support our employees in maintaining stable lives and create an environment where they can work with greater peace of mind,&#8221; Atlus&#8217; statement added. Changes will be applied starting next month, April 2026.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home News Persona 5 Royal In an industry beset by layoffs and crunch, Japanese publisher Atlus is raising salaries and working to reduce fixed overtime &#8220;We consider investment in human resources to be indispensable.&#8221; Image credit: Atlus News by Fran Ruiz Contributor Published on March 16, 2026 17 comments Follow Persona 5 Royal Yesterday, we [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,253],"class_list":["post-1829273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-eurogamer-net"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1829273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1829273"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1829273\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1829273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1829273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1829273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}