• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Monolithsoft Kyoto Studio Interview by CGWorld

S

StreetsAhead

Member
(Japanese) Link: http://cgworld.jp/feature/interview/monolithsoft-recruit.html

-Studio opened 2011
-Worked on the graphics of Animal Crossing: New Leaf
-Hired 10 new people this year following their expansion announcement earlier this year. Both fresh graduates and experienced workers.
-Brings their total staff to around 30. Mostly character modelers, effect designers, and animators.
-Staff has a high proportion of women, many staff in their late-20s
-Work is from 9AM to 6PM, no overtime without your boss's permission. (This is uncommon in Japan).
-No taking work home or unpaid overtime.
-Time for experimenting included in regular working hours, but can use the office tools up to 9PM for this purpose.
-Staff use their extra free time to pursue hobbies or hone their artistic skills.
-Looking for storyboard artists as they're making cutscenes at the studio.
-Article ends with a call for job applications for 3D CG designers, effect designers, and motion designers.
-The absolute minimum monthly salary for an experienced worker is 185,000 yen (US$1,837), up for negotiation based on experience and skills. There's also 2 annual bonuses, an annual wage rise, health insurance, and up to ~US$500 support for work related transport costs on top of the salary.
-Experienced workers must have 3 years experience or more, new graduates also welcome.

office1.jpg
Click to expand...

The studio is known to be working on a 3DS game. Looks to me like story, planning, and art is happening at the studio while programming/development is outsourced. Hopefully it'll be released in 2014.

Feed me to Riki if old. Extra points if you spot something in the computer screens.
 
Sounds like a great place to work. Thanks for translating. I was struggling to read the Google translations.
 
ivysaur12 said:
I remember seeing a picture of the Baten Kaitos team and being surprised/impressed by the number of women on it.

Can't wait to see their 3DS game.
Click to expand...

Wasn't it said that's the case with a lot of Nintendo studios. That they have the highest number of female employees in the industry?
 
I remember duckroll tweeting about this a while ago, thanks for posting it.

30 people only, huh. I wonder what genre their 3DS game is.
 
Where did it actually come from that they are working on a 3DS game of their own? The interview sounds like they are mainly supporting other studios with technical assistance.
 
-Minimum monthly salary for an experienced worker is 185,000 yen (US$1,837)
Click to expand...

WTF? Isn't that a bit too low? The rent and electricity is already ~$1000 and then there're fees for internet, cellphone, transportation, food etc
 
Devilgunman said:
WTF? Isn't that a bit too low? The rent and electricity is already ~$1000 and then there're fees for internet, cellphone, transportation, food etc
Click to expand...

It's not that low for Japan, I guess. It is also the very minimum they're offering for the first year.

There's also 2 annual bonuses, an annual wage rise, health insurance, and up to ~US$500 support for work related transport costs.

perorist said:
For quite a few months now (concept art)

original.jpg


Edit - looks like there wasn't an official confirmation, but they were recruiting handheld developers in Februrary
Click to expand...

They confirmed it was for 3DS long before that art appeared, right when the studio opened. I don't have a link though it was on their website.

While that art was never confirmed to be from the actual game, there is a white thing in a computer in the background on the left of the shot in the OP that vaguely resembles the white figure here.
 
For a team that small, Monolith Soft seems very focused and productive. Why can't some others take notice? Things are getting ridiculous these days with hundreds of members involved in a single project, and budgets through the roof - all for what usually amounts to rehashed worn-out gameplay/design, and uninspired story, with a pretty coat of paint as the main highlight.
 
Is tose doing the grunt work? Its always tose...

Can't wait to see what they have cooking. I'm sure it will pop up in some direct in 6 months.
 
hongcha said:
That's horrible.
Click to expand...

It's a minimum. I could get by on less a single person in Japan.

OryoN said:
For a team that small, Monolith Soft seems very focused and productive. Why can't some others take notice? Things are getting ridiculous these days with hundreds of members involved in a single project, and budgets through the roof - all for what usually amounts to rehashed worn-out gameplay/design, and uninspired story, with a pretty coat of paint as the main highlight.
Click to expand...

This is only one studio - Monolith Soft as a whole is 108 people between the two Tokyo teams and Kyoto.
 
I'm going to guess it won;t be some grand big IP for 3DS and probably a smaller title. I do wonder what the other team at Monolith is doing that's not working on X
 
Devilgunman said:
WTF? Isn't that a bit too low? The rent and electricity is already ~$1000 and then there're fees for internet, cellphone, transportation, food etc
Click to expand...

What? No it isn't. You can easily find singles apartments for less than half that, and reasonably sized ones between 500-1000 dollars. Transportation costs are usually covered by the company in Japan AFAIK, or you can buy a relatively cheap commuters pass.

edit: not saying it isn't low pay, but it is definitely not too low for living off of it
 
icy_eagle said:
What? No it isn't. You can easily find singles apartments for less than half that, and reasonably sized ones between 500-1000 dollars. Transportation costs are usually covered by the company in Japan AFAIK, or you can buy a relatively cheap commuters pass.

edit: not saying it isn't low pay, but it is definitely not too low for living off of it
Click to expand...

Yeah, you can easily live off of that, you're right.

Interestingly (maybe) the average wage of a full time Nintendo employee at NCL works out to about US$7,195 per month.
 
icy_eagle said:
What? No it isn't. You can easily find singles apartments for less than half that, and reasonably sized ones between 500-1000 dollars.f
Click to expand...

In Kyoto? Really?\

Edit: Did a search - damn, it's true. Dunno how big the apartments are, but anything larger than a coffin would work for me.
 
Says their main office (Tokyo) worked on Skyward Sword's development, too. I didn't know that.
 
Neat info, been wanting to hear a bit more about the Kyoto studio. Honne sounds like a good boss to work for.
 
Conrad Link said:
Seems like a low amount of staff considering amount of awesome they are. :D
Click to expand...

It seems like only artists work in the Kyoto studio. Even still, they are talking about expanding (hiring more artists).
 
I'm kinda impressed with the 180-degree turnaround Monolith Soft has had. Ever since being bought out by Nintendo, their output and quality has increased. Hard to believe this is the same company from 2005 at times.

Doesn't Nintendo R&D hire a lot of female employees too?
 
Salary is VERY low, especially if you're talking about about an experienced game designer (in any field.)

I could see MAYBE paying that much to someone fresh out of school - but even then it's low.

Sure, you can live off of it if you're single. A single room "apartment" will probably cost you anywhere from 40-70,000円 / month, but I couldn't live off that with a wife and a son.

Everything else about the job sounds good. 9am - 6pm working hours are pretty standard, though I'd be surprised if they actually enforced their overtime rule. What that probably means is "no paid overtime" without your supervisor's permission. The fact is that when you have deadlines approaching, you don't clock out and go home. Supervisors will tell you to go home, but you are fully expected to have everything done by the deadline. If that means staying past 6pm in an unofficial capacity, that's what it means.

Looks like a pretty standard set up for a smaller company.
 
KuroNeeko said:
Salary is VERY low, especially if you're talking about about an experienced game designer (in any field.)

I could see MAYBE paying that much to someone fresh out of school - but even then it's low.

Sure, you can live off of it if you're single. A single room "apartment" will probably cost you anywhere from 40-70,000円 / month, but I couldn't live off that with a wife and a son.

Everything else about the job sounds good. 9am - 6pm working hours are pretty standard, though I'd be surprised if they actually enforced their overtime rule. What that probably means is "no paid overtime" without your supervisor's permission. The fact is that when you have deadlines approaching, you don't clock out and go home. Supervisors will tell you to go home, but you are fully expected to have everything done by the deadline. If that means staying past 6pm in an unofficial capacity, that's what it means.

Looks like a pretty standard set up for a smaller company.
Click to expand...

Did you read the article? They drove the point home enough about the strictly enforced 9am - 6pm work hours that I think I'm going to believe them. They talked about how they have team leaders constantly modifying the schedule to make sure that no one has too much on their plate at one time.

Also, it's stated that absolute minimum monthly wage is 185,000 Yen (not including bonuses). I imagine only kids fresh out of school get offered that wage, and honestly, it's not bad for newly grads even if they were in Tokyo.
 
hongcha said:
That's horrible.
Click to expand...

Average starting salary of a college grad is around 150,000-200,000 with few benefits. In Japan you really start at the bottom and need to work your way up. It's not high pay at Monolith, but it's not on the low end either and it seems to be a good working environment with nice benefits. Also those bonuses can amount to a few months of extra salary.
 
Wow only 30 people??They are even smaller than Team Ico...
I would have guessed that for a game of X's magnitude they would need around 100 people.Relatively i wonder how many people work on the new Zelda...

I really hope this studio gets all the budget they need from Nintendo because they really deserve it.
 
sublimit said:
Wow only 30 people??They are even smaller than Team Ico...
I would have guessed that for a game of X's magnitude they would need around 100 people.Relatively i wonder how many people work on the new Zelda...

I really hope this studio gets all the budget they need from Nintendo because they really deserve it.
Click to expand...

This is the Kyoto studio. The team working at the main studio in Tokyo has over 100 people at it.
 
I don't understand all this talk about low salary. My uncle currently earns £800 a month (about $1200) here in the UK, and has no problem paying rent on his 3 bedroom house, or supporting his wife and 3 children.
 
sublimit said:
Wow only 30 people??They are even smaller than Team Ico...
I would have guessed that for a game of X's magnitude they would need around 100 people.Relatively i wonder how many people work on the new Zelda...

I really hope this studio gets all the budget they need from Nintendo because they really deserve it.
Click to expand...

This is the Kyoto branch, there are more than 30 people working on X.

EDIT : beaten
 
The interview gave me the sensation that this is a side-studio, created to help other teams on their own development.
Glad that there are other two proper team under the Monolith label.
 
Zenaku said:
I don't understand all this talk about low salary. My uncle currently earns £800 a month (about $1200) here in the UK, and has no problem paying rent on his 3 bedroom house, or supporting his wife and 3 children.
Click to expand...

They don't compare.

The cost of living in Japan is much higher. I was paying about $500 / month for a smaller 2-bedroom apartment in college, but you'd be very lucky to get 2 rooms (total) at that price in Kyoto / Osaka.

As for $1200 / month, you will definitely have a VERY hard time living off that amount in Japan, even on your own unless you make drastic lifestyle changes.

The fact is that the starting salary at this company is low - yet comparable to other game companies for someone fresh out of school. Having a bonus is nice, but it's the first thing that goes when money gets tight. Employers *can* use it as a way to give money to employees when times are good without raising their base pay.
 
hongcha said:
That's horrible.
Click to expand...

True. But the conditions are really good - at least no stressful job. I tell you that I tried a well paid job but very ,very demanding (12 hours per day saturday included), and a less paid job (9 am-6:30 pm), but that gives you the time to have a private life.

I like the latter more - I was not wiped out each evening, I had time to pick up girls and fuck all the night, making regular sport and having a drink with friends. No questions about it - money doesn't give you everything.
 
What shock me in this avegrage salary is that they work at Monolith Soft, making games that generates millions of $. I earn more than that (particularly because of the €) in a shitty web agency in Paris. I do think being a 3D artist for Nintendo games is way more valuable than that.

Anyway, sounds like a studio everyone will like to work for.
Also, why is there a dead cat on one of the desks?
 
Zenaku said:
I don't understand all this talk about low salary. My uncle currently earns £800 a month (about $1200) here in the UK, and has no problem paying rent on his 3 bedroom house, or supporting his wife and 3 children.
Click to expand...

Your uncle probably lives far, far away from London to survive with this kind of salary.

Jackano said:
What shock me in this avegrage salary is that they work at Monolith Soft, making games that generates millions of $. I earn more than that (particularly because of the €) in a shitty web agency in Paris. I do think being a 3D artist for Nintendo games is way more valuable than that.
Click to expand...

You should not be shocked at all. Remember that from an industry point of view, people are always considered the highest cost.
 
The studio is NOT confirmed to be working on a 3DS game. Let's not continue to spread that rumor just because they had a 3DS system on the recruitment page years ago.

I just read the article myself, and it seems to confirm our worst fears. There were about 20 people in the studio, and they just hired another 10. This is a very small graphic artist driven studio, and the article clearly says that the staff hired this round will be working on graphic assets for "main Nintendo IPs".

In a small graphic studio with 30-odd staff, I don't think it's realistic to expect that Monolithsoft Kyoto is working on an original game of their own anymore. Especially not when those staff appear to all be graphic artists. :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Dead by Daylight studio Behaviour Interactive confirms layoffs
5
395
winjer replied
[Kyoto Shimbun] Exclusive Shuntaro Furukawa (President of Nintendo) Interview - Switch 2, component costs, anime plans, future software, and more
10
691
Panajev2001a replied
Nintendo plans around $1.9 billion share sale by Kyoto bank and others, sources say
Business Game Dev 
13
443
videogamedude replied
SNK announces new studio lead by Tekken veteran Katsuhiro Harada
News 
4
268
f~N_CH_1:3:3:3_SushiBoat replied
Treyarch studio head leaves
3
197
Hideous Snake replied
Top Bottom