Japan’s Lean Game Studios Keep 97% Staff, Avoid Live-Service Frenzy
TL;DR
Amir Satvat of ASGC says Capcom, Konami, and Nintendo maintain 97%+ staff retention by running lean teams, paying executives far less, and avoiding the live-service trend; this contrasts with widespread layoffs and Tim Sweeney’s doom forecasts, suggesting Japan’s IP‑driven, sequels-first strategy yields stability amid global industry volatility.
- Japanese Studios Have ‘Staff Retention Of 97 Percent' Says Expert Kotaku
- "They've watched so many people lose their jobs, that has an impact" – Managing morale in the wake of layoffs GamesIndustry.biz
- Gaming Layoffs Are Happening In Japan, But Almost No One Is Talking About Them Forbes
- How certain game studios have avoided layoffs | Sustainability lessons for games GamesBeat
- Game Industry Layoffs & Studio Closures Stats 2026 Shane the Gamer
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