{"id":69116,"date":"2026-07-02T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/?p=69116"},"modified":"2026-07-02T17:13:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T08:13:21","slug":"level-5-gives-employees-significant-pay-raises-for-acing-quizzes-about-its-own-games-according-to-ceo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/automaton-media.com\/en\/news\/level-5-gives-employees-significant-pay-raises-for-acing-quizzes-about-its-own-games-according-to-ceo\/","title":{"rendered":"Level-5\u00a0gives employees \u201csignificant\u201d pay raises for acing quizzes about its own games, according to CEO\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a recent Famitsu interview<\/a>, Level-5<\/strong> president and CEO Akihiro Hino revealed a few secrets about the company\u2019s workplace culture. One of these secrets involves conducting \u201cknowledge quizzes\u201d related to the company\u2019s content among employees. Those who get high scores on these quizzes receive a pay raise, regardless of their mileage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the exact amount was disclosed only to Famitsu, the interviewers were astonished by the figure, and when Hino mentioned further plans to increase it, they said it was the kind of money that can have a huge impact on employee motivation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explaining the origin of this unusual practice, Hino says that through his own\u00a0experience making games, he has come to realize that\u00a0entrusting responsibility to people\u00a0highly\u00a0knowledgeable\u00a0about the subject matter is crucial.\u00a0\u201cIf their knowledge is insufficient,\u00a0we\u2019ll\u00a0need other team members to support them or review their work. On the other hand, if they do have that knowledge, they can take the lead and even streamline the workflow. In other words, I consider a person\u2019s knowledge of and passion for the company\u2019s games to be a genuine skill,\u201d he says.\u00a0Addressing the shocked reactions to the salary raises he mentioned,\u00a0Hino says\u00a0the\u00a0efficiency\u00a0Level-5\u00a0gains in exchange far outweighs the cost.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before you go\u00a0handing\u00a0your resume\u00a0and showing off your Dark Cloud synthesis skills, Hino says that\u00a0Level-5\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0forcing expansion. While\u00a0the company is\u00a0currently\u00a0increasing the size of its Osaka offices\u00a0(one of its three hubs, alongside its\u00a0Fukuoka\u00a0HQ and\u00a0Tokyo\u00a0offices),\u00a0it has become more selective when choosing employees, valuing\u00a0not\u00a0just\u00a0talent and motivation, but\u00a0candidates that have a genuine love of gaming and\u00a0Level-5’s franchises. Hino, who took part exclusively in final interviews, has recently become\u00a0more involved from the very beginning of\u00a0the hiring process to ensure new hires are chosen for the right values and skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related:\u00a0Level-5 will allow employees to come in late on June 26 so that they can watch the Japan vs Sweden World Cup match<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

evel-5 CEO says Megaton Musashi served as \u201cemotional rehab,\u201d helping the studio rediscover its development philosophy and make Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road work\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Akihiro Hino recently revealed that Level-5 has its employees take knowledge quizzes about the company’s content, awarding high scorers with raises.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":69118,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","autoblue_enabled":true,"autoblue_custom_message":"","autoblue_shares":[{"did":"did:plc:uzrrhkfyjrfdsynj2voztcf2","date":"2026-07-02T13:00:09+00:00","uri":"at:\/\/did:plc:uzrrhkfyjrfdsynj2voztcf2\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3mpo3lo7b3l2d","response":"{\"uri\":\"at:\/\/did:plc:uzrrhkfyjrfdsynj2voztcf2\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3mpo3lo7b3l2d\",\"cid\":\"bafyreicocdbqjm3sc7xpolkznkjpeshfddgvqfsk7zcjmd2qzoxcgmhxui\",\"commit\":{\"cid\":\"bafyreif6oyyp6tv3t6d7e5wuy4yp6c674jojdmz5jy55wxiyfoxuacbuku\",\"rev\":\"3mpo3lo7ivl2d\"},\"validationStatus\":\"valid\"}"}],"autoblue_post_url":"","autoblue_publish_document":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[17],"class_list":["post-69116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-japan-related-news"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nLevel-5\u00a0gives employees \u201csignificant\u201d pay raises for acing quizzes about its own games, according to CEO\u00a0 - 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