FromSoftware Employees Reportedly Do Overtime Without Pay, No Maternity Leaves For Women

FromSoftware, the acclaimed Japanese developer of the Souls franchise, tells a relatively different story when it comes to its own employees.

FromSoftware, the acclaimed Japanese developer of the Souls franchise, tells a relatively different story when it comes to its own employees.

According to a report by TheGamer earlier today, FromSoftware has been maintaining poor wages and poor working conditions for nearly a decade in running. Its company profile on a Japanese job board called Career Connection has both current and former employees sharing their dissatisfaction about the workplace, something which needs to be changed and soon.

FromSoftware currently has an overall rating of 2.6 out of 5.0 with ratings of 2.2 for job satisfaction, 4.2 for workplace intensity, 2.6 for stress management, and 1.9 for compensation. The average annual income stands at around $29,000 which is particularly notable since the developer is based in Tokyo, a city known for her high cost of living and expenses.

FromSoftware employees reportedly do more than 40 hours of overtime per month on average without any compensation. If there is some compensation, it is fairly low. Several employees have stated that overtime has become too common with every department having to spend more hours after work on a daily basis, on even weekends and national holidays.

Besides the pay, FromSoftware appears to be a particularly harsh place for women. “There are no special treatments for pregnancy and childcare,” explained one employee. “Most female employees who are about to give birth are expected to leave the company.”

This is not the first time that the workplace of FromSoftware has come under question. Around five years back, the developer was reportedly enforcing more than 4 hours of overtime on a daily basis on average which became worse—crunch—as the release date neared. The average annual income was around $30,000 then with an overall rating of 2.1 out of 5.0 on Career Connection.

FromSoftware has improved its rating since then, but there is still so much more it needs to do for the betterment of its employees.

Saqib is a managing editor at segmentnext.com who has halted regime changes, curbed demonic invasions, and averted at least one cosmic omnicide from the confines of his gaming chair. When not whipping his writers into ...