Why Nintendo Raised Salaries by 10% Despite Tech Layoffs

Why Nintendo Raised Salaries by 10% Despite Tech Layoffs

Executive Summary (TL;DR)

• Amid a harsh wave of layoffs across global tech giants, Nintendo made the bold move of increasing its entire workforce's base salary by 10%.
• This strategy aimed to prevent the drain of top-tier developers due to a weak yen, prioritizing investment in the "people" who drive their exclusive IP advantage for long-term innovation.
• To expand sustainably, export-focused businesses must proactively invest in securing high-performing global sales talent and adopting advanced marketing tools.

Amid a global economic downturn, securing global sales talent has never been more critical for a company's sustainable growth. While most organizations are aggressively cutting costs, one company chose the exact opposite path: the global gaming giant, Nintendo. When everyone else was tightening their belts, Nintendo implemented an unconventional HR strategy by raising the base salary for all employees. This wasn't merely a corporate welfare gesture; it was their most aggressive talent acquisition strategy to survive the downturn.

In terms of short-term operating profit margins, this was undoubtedly a heavy financial decision. Nevertheless, Nintendo chose to build a "shield" to protect its top developers rather than focusing on immediate cost-cutting. They understood that losing core R&D assets for the future would be far more damaging than the immediate increase in fixed overhead costs.

The Tech Layoff Epidemic vs. Nintendo's Unconventional Talent Strategy

Even in 2026, news of layoffs across global tech companies continues to make headlines (according to the 2024 Layoffs.fyi global tracker). In this harsh survival-oriented environment, Nintendo's talent strategy—centered on a 10% base salary increase for all staff—sent shockwaves through the industry. Raising base salaries (a fixed cost) rather than offering one-off performance bonuses signals that leadership places immense value on job security.

In fact, this bold move ignited a "talent defense war" across the Japanese gaming sector:

• Nintendo: Implemented a flat 10% base salary increase for all employees.
• Capcom: Aggressively raised starting salaries for new hires by over 20%.
• Square Enix: Swiftly restructured its base pay system to stay competitive in the market.

What drove this chain reaction of wage increases? The key driver was the weak Japanese yen. As the yen's value declined, the risk of losing top Japanese talent to overseas studios skyrocketed. Nintendo and its peers built preemptive defensive walls. Ultimately, these sweeping wage increases were a highly strategic survival mechanism designed to protect their most vital asset: their people.

Exclusive IPs Over Short-Term Margins: Why Betting on People Pays Off

How does Nintendo maintain its unrivaled position in the fiercely competitive console market? The answer lies in its powerhouse exclusive IPs (intellectual property) like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. This unique value is born directly from the minds of creative developers. Nintendo's firm management philosophy dictates that only when developers feel secure in their jobs and psychologically safe can they achieve true innovation without fearing failure (2023 Japan Game Industry White Paper). Had they focused on short-term margin maximization through repeated restructuring, employee engagement and product quality would have crumbled long ago.

At Rinda, our team shares a very similar philosophy while building global business solutions. Particularly in complex industries like heavy machinery or manufacturing, purchase decisions require a long-term approach to global B2B marketing. According to our data analysis, the international B2B decision-making cycle for heavy industries and manufacturing averages over 6 months (2024 Korea International Trade Association report). While this cycle can range anywhere from 1 to 12 months depending on buyer scale and industry type, the core truth remains: delivering high-quality solutions requires a long-term vision. Instead of obsessing over immediate margins, we encourage businesses to invest consistently in R&D to build mid-to-long-term trust.

The Biggest Bottleneck in Global B2B Marketing: How to Solve Global Sales Talent Acquisition

What is the biggest hurdle for exporting companies attempting to enter global markets? Ironically, it is neither capital nor technology—it is securing high-performing global sales talent to lead on the ground. Without global sales and marketing leaders to capture local buyers and close contracts, many companies stall right at the threshold of expansion. The more resource-constrained a company is, the smarter its talent compensation strategy needs to be.

Beyond simple salary increases, organizations can deploy diverse HR strategies to attract top-tier talent:

• Offer stock options and profit-sharing models to split the fruits of long-term growth.
• Provide flexible working hours and remote work support suited for global business operations.
• Sponsor professional development courses and global business seminars to foster personal career growth.

When top players are fully empowered, a company's execution capabilities skyrocket. For instance, our research indicates that teams sending follow-up emails to buyers within 48 hours of an international trade show achieved significantly higher reply rates compared to those waiting 7 days or more (2023 KOTRA Overseas Marketing Field Guide). Though variations exist depending on buyer requirements, capturing this seemingly minor golden window ultimately relies on the drive of highly engaged professionals.

How Rinda Solves Global Sales Bottlenecks with Multilingual SEO and Buyer Databases

At Rinda, we focus on building a robust internal culture to ensure our clients' successful global expansion. Solving the complex challenge of international buyer discovery requires not only advanced technology but also exceptional colleagues who can interpret data within the market's context. Designing a multilingual-based global marketing strategy starts with rigorous human analysis.

Indeed, according to our rolling 12-month data analysis for 2025, exporters running multilingual websites (English, Japanese, Chinese, etc.) and executing multilingual SEO saw a significantly more balanced global distribution of organic search traffic compared to those relying on a single Korean channel (2024 Rinda Internal Data). While results may vary depending on translation quality and domain authority, this metric strongly highlights that a multilingual digital setup remains a key driver for global market expansion.

We continually refine our buyer intelligence to help businesses leap onto the global stage. On the official RINDA platform landing page, we transparently offer an extensive buyer database containing over 800 million entries across 200+ countries. You can explore localized metrics such as over 12 million (12M+) active data entries in the US and 5.8 million (5.8M+) in Japan. If you are looking for a reliable engine to drive your international expansion, consider a tailored solution combining advanced data tools with expert human intuition. Start your journey in global buyer discovery with Rinda.

Author: RINDA Global Sales Research Team (Global Buyer Discovery & Export Automation Editor)

Leveraging pipeline data from over 200 exporters and internal insights from the RINDA platform, we publish practical strategies and key checklists you can apply directly to your export operations.

Are you looking for a proven breakthrough to expand your business globally? Take your first step toward international success with a free expert consultation from Rinda today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Can Nintendo's talent strategy be applied realistically to startup global sales talent acquisition with limited resources?

A1. It is challenging for small or early-stage businesses to increase base pay by 10% across the board. However, the core takeaway is not the percentage itself, but leadership's attitude toward job security and talent acquisition. For resource-constrained startups, offering stock options or long-term incentive structures is a highly effective, realistic alternative. By sharing the fruits of growth, you can indirectly guarantee startup job security and secure top-tier talent.

Q2. What are the most efficient buyer discovery methods for global B2B marketing other than hiring expensive sales talent?

A2. Hiring high-salaried international sales veterans immediately can place an immense financial burden on a company entering new markets. A smarter approach is to maximize the productivity of your existing team using systematic multilingual SEO and a reliable global buyer database platform. By securing your core pipeline first and minimizing trial and error through advanced tools, you can establish stability. Once your business begins to scale, you can then incrementally hire dedicated local sales talent.