What is the working environment? Which jobs have the highest incomes? Are Chinese game companies a threat?
We asked an insiders of the game industry about these and other interesting topics.
The Improving Working Environment of the Game Industry
Eto: We are here today to talk about the inner workings of game companies from the perspective of those on the inside.
Morimoto: It is a unique industry, so it is difficult to understand from the outside.
Eto: So let's get started. People often say that the game industry is full of rogue companies, but what do you think?
Morimoto: I think it is true if you look at it from a general perspective. Including a certain major game company where you used to work, the working hours are usually much more than 8 hours, right?
Eto: Yes, that's right. Basically, it was a system like a discretionary labor system, and I have the impression that the working hours were quite long. However, it may be just the company I was at, but I don't think there were many people who suffered from being forced to work long hours.
Actually, I think I enjoyed spending my time at the company, spending my time freely, chatting in the break area, playing new smartphone games with my team members, and exchanging opinions. Of course, there were times when we would work late into the night on the computer right up to the release of the game, but I still have a strong impression that it was a lot of fun.
Morimoto: When I started working at the game company, I worked even longer hours, but I still have a strong impression that it was fun. I think this feeling is probably largely due to the fact that people who work at game companies basically love games.
Eto: I am sure of that. The people around me are also full of game lovers, so it's interesting to talk with them, and I still can't put into words the excitement I feel when a game I'm working on is completed. I guess it sounds like exploitation of my motivation in a bad way, but for my part, I even want them to squeeze as much of my motivation out of me as possible.
Morimoto: Nowadays, that would not normally be allowed (laughs). At the same time, I would like to tell readers that the working environment in the game industry has really improved recently, and there is almost no such thing as being forced to work beyond your limits. However, it is also an environment that you probably cannot endure unless you are quite a game enthusiast, though.
Eto: Yes, it is. In fact, there were people around me who thought they were quite fond of games, but when they entered a game company, they quit because they felt that they were at the level of just ordinary people. So I guess this story is like, “If you think about it on a general scale, it's rogue, but for those who can have a sense of fulfillment, it's a rewarding environment. Come to think of it, speaking of the game industry's unique working environment, there aren't many permanent employees, and most of them are contract workers, aren't there?
Morimoto: Yes, I think it is not unusual to find departments where more than half of the employees are contract workers, even at major game companies. I would say that the only permanent employees are those who joined as new graduates, those who have created hit titles, and those who have made achievements at other companies and moved on to new positions.
The majority of companies have almost no exceptions for people who apply for regular job openings and start out as contract employees.
Eto: The same was true at the company I joined as a new graduate. However, not many people in the company cared whether I was a regular or contract employee. Of course, there were some people who were passionate about “becoming a full-time employee,” but since most of them were contract employees to begin with, it was an environment where it was not a concern.
Morimoto: In the game industry, people come and go as they please. Of course, there are reasons why it is more convenient for management to have contract employees, but I think there are many people who would rather be in a position where they can quit at will in a sense.
However, it is also true that if you quit the game industry after spending a few years as a contract employee, you will be evaluated as having little value as a career, so if you want to enter the game industry, you need to be prepared to some extent. That being said, I personally think that if you feel that it is not for you, you should quit immediately.
