Satoru Iwata Refuses to Layoff Nintendo Employees

[Norithics]

This decision should be something that we all look at and say something along the lines of, "Well duh. That just makes sense."

The galling thing is that we can't, because doing something sensible is so rare for large businesses. Corporate culture is so insular and self-congratulating that they can fail over and over again and never see that what they're doing is ridiculous and terrible. Look at Donald Trump, who started out with advantages and still sunk a ton of his enterprises.

Part of the problem, of course, is that money is such a numbing concept in the numbers that start getting thrown around. A million, a billion, a trillion, none of it means anything. Does a CEO feel happy that he cut jobs and made an additional 3 million? Of course not, it doesn't make him feel anything- he's just been trained by this toxic culture to make as much money as possible, because that's the only noble goal in this setting, the only sign of a "successful business." The very rich have been for generations removing themselves more and more from common people, and plenty of very wealthy folks never even see the rest of us. So it's sad, but just kind of natural that they have no idea what it's like to live downstairs.

 

[Steve Waltz]

I'll be right back; going to go buy a WiiU.

The past years I've hated Nintendo for having no sense of creativity in their games. They were just playing it safe by not creating anything new and creative. I see what Nintendo is now. Working for Nintendo is like working for Oskar Shindler. They aren't willing to take risks by creating new IPs, but they take all the risks when it comes to protecting their employees.

It may not be putting the customers first, but at least it's not trying to horde as much cash as possible.

 

[Xarathox]

It seems the Japanese are one of the few cultures that still embraces honour.

They also possess the ability to consider long term effects of decisions.

Pretty much, yeah.

On the flip side though, they have an "extreme" reverence for their elders, which can and does hold people back from advancing in the work force. While in most cases that's not such a bad thing (since a lot of people tend to brown nose their way to the top), those who are actually talented can get stuck below their superior until said superior either gets promoted first, retires or straight up dies.

 

[Darmani]

Not saying that he's a bad bloke or anything, but recognising that firing lots of people would be bad for morale and thus counter-productive doesn't necessarily mean you are noble or care about your employers, it's good business sense.

Manual thank

I mean I appreciate his stance but.. I mean if they had to I'm sure they would he's just not doing that and making sure to get some recognition for that and hopefully the attendant dedication from his subordinates.

Really they need to higher more people the Wii games teams were actually rather small but from what I hear compared to going indie the personal creative rewards and pay when working for Nintendo are paltry [http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?596869-Nintendo-What-would-it-take-for-them-to-regain-your-faith-support&p=14524180#post14524180]

 

[Darmani]

Japanese companies, conversely, tend to be less greedy and more cautious. Spending habits are fairly conservative, some analysts say this is probably why the average Japanese family never really felt the effects of the country's economic crash and subsequent decline.

Not that greed isn't rampant in Japan. Some of the things we take for granted here in the West will cost you an arm and a leg in Japan. Blu-Rays and DVDs for example.

They are greedy but long term about it namely despire originating a lot of possible tech some things are just taken for granted and the society is run deliberately to be stable in certain assumptions. Even the vaunted nintendo development method Idea slotted to existing franchise points to this.

the main thing though is the treadmill of rapid development is running into a wall of diminishing returns and failure.

Super big teams to build you a machine that lets you pump out things on that level year after year.

Japan isn't more virtuous than the West it has different behaviors and values and its own vices

 

[walrusaurus]

American companies could learn a lot from Nintendo's example. Now they just needs to release windwaker HD already so i can justify buying a WiiU!

 

[Weaver]

Holy shit, I need to get a job in Japan!

 

[Abomination]

Japan isn't more virtuous than the West it has different behaviors and values and its own vices

You say that, but if intentions are the basis of virtue tell that to people who were laid off from their 40k-50k/year jobs due to "budget restraints" then see the CEO take home a pay package upwards of 10 million + bonuses for a company that didn't turn a profit.

Yet in Japan that CEO either has to take a $1 yearly salary for that year and let people go or keeps everyone.

Certainly they're both out to make money and ignoring morality and ethics Japan is just making different strategic decisions... but the people who are responsible for the company's failure are those who suffer in Japan.

 

[Baresark]

I think that Nintendo is actually in a favorable position, more favorable than other companies in the same position that is. Nintendo doesn't over extend itself as a lot of other companies do. Restructuring only has to include layoffs if you over extended. They did not over extend their position, so employees don't have to be axed. But a lot of companies way over extend themselves. So it's no surprise when they start laying people off. Don't get me wrong, a lot of companies hire temporary people. In a corporate environment, There are usually a mix of full employees and temporary employees, the temporary ones are part of an expanding and contracting workforce that the needs always change for. Meh, I'm babbling... I'm glad they aren't fuckin' stupid and didn't over extend themselves, therefore sparing the need to lay people off for the moment.

 

[Steve Waltz]

The past years I've hated Nintendo for having no sense of creativity in their games. They were just playing it safe by not creating anything new and creative. I see what Nintendo is now. Working for Nintendo is like working for Oskar Shindler. They aren't willing to take risks by creating new IPs, but they take all the risks when it comes to protecting their employees.

Hey now, that's not entirely fair. Nintendo has made plenty of new IPs over the last few years: Xenoblade, Wii Sports, Pushmo, Crashmo, Endless Ocean, Sakura Samurai, Nintendogs, etc etc. Most of them just get ignored by gamers who start crying for more Mario and Zelda.

Not quite. Out of all of those only Wii Sports and Nintendogs were actually developed by Nintendo; the rest were just published by.

 

[Gennadios]

If they want long-term financial gains, they just need to release Pokemon on smart phones.

Just sayin'

Captcha: face the music

 

[Frozengale]

In Japan, it is seriously scorned upon to lay off members of staff. In a country deeply conscious of pride, laying off members is pretty much like holding up a sign to the entire country saying 'we're a terrible company! We have no pride!', regardless of the reasons behind it.

If memory serves me correctly, some years ago, during the original Xbox's run, Microsoft laid off a huge number of staff in the Japanese gaming sector. Consequently, of all the bad decisions MS made during those first years, this one proved to be the most fatal, PR wise.

Nintendo are as Japanese as companies get. I'm sure, if it didn't damage their reputation in their home country, they'd happily lay off staff.

I love reasoning like this, "Just because they refuse to do something doesn't mean they don't WANT to do it!"

Just because it's founded in Japanese tradition doesn't mean it isn't genuine.

Yes, lets demonize people because WE THINK we know what someone ACTUALLY wants to do. Even though everything they've done points to the contrary.

 

[Infernal Lawyer]

Congratulations, corporations. You've done so many shitty things to the consumer and to yourselves that somehow the mere act of performing common sense is worthy of praise (looking at you, Microsoft). For goodness sakes, even with that dick move of taking LP's and such's ad revenue of Youtube (no, I don't want to discuss it), Nintendo is practically Mother Teresa compared to the likes of Microsoft, who doesn't even try too hard to deny that they're trying to screw over the customer, and Zynga, who fire staff left and right then pay the guy who fucked up the Xbone $5 million just to jump ship.

Captcha: Good night and Good luck.

I was, in fact, just about to tuck in, but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have nightmares now, captcha...

 

[Callate]

Loyalty to your employees? Believing they have a value that isn't measured by their salary? How un-American.

(sigh...)

 

[KoudelkaMorgan]

"Honorable Iwata ponders the myriad and subtle moods of his nanners."

That is the caption in my mind anyway.

Its nice to hear of a company that realizes that its employees are there for a reason, and that if they are treated like human beings they might just do better work.

I spent 3 years in a customer service hell pit that ruined my mind and body, and was casually tossed out like old dishwater when it suited them. So, just as it was when I was a kid, it must be good to work for Nintendo.

 

[Steve Waltz]

Not quite. Out of all of those only Wii Sports and Nintendogs were actually developed by Nintendo; the rest were just published by.

Not really. Monolith Soft and Intelligent Systems developed a lot of those games, and they're both Nintendo-owned companies. They're Nintendo, in the same way as Bioware are now part of EA. If Sony gets credit for games developed by the likes of Japan Studio or Naughty Dog, then Nintendo sure as hech deserves it for games from Monolith Soft and Intelligent Systems. Especially as Nintendo have a history of putting their own developers like Miyamoto to oversee production of games from said developers.

Well, I guess that makes it objective. If you think that gives Nintendo credit then that's your opinion. Personally, I wouldn't give Sony credit for the IPs created by the developers of Naughty Dog, nor would I give EA credit for Bioware's stuff. That said, I still wouldn't give Nintendo credit for the stuff developed by Monolith Soft or Intelligent Systems; they're different studios with different developers.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Awwww, Nintendo, you're gonna make me cry :') That's a great outlook on the whole situation~ I just hope they have something up their sleeve to pull themselves together, otherwise, this outlook might not save them. Here's hoping it will though