Nintendo made a generous gesture to its team against the background of the uneasy economic situation in the gaming industry. At the 2026 Annual Shareholders' Meeting, Company President Suntaro Furukawa officially announced a 10% increase in base pay for employees. This issue arose during the question and answer session, where the topic of absence in a traditional trade union company was also addressed.

The Japanese giant’s decision looks particularly impressive against a backdrop of dismal industry trends. While competitors like Sony and Microsoft are facing falling iron sales and forced to increase console prices, and hundreds of developers around the world are losing their jobs due to massive downsizing, Nintendo is showing enviable stability. Moreover, the company is maintaining strong sales even after the announcement of the Switch 2 price increase that will take effect in North America in September.

Price adjustments are also taking place within Nintendo itself, with the cost of subscribing to Nintendo Switch Online rising in Japan and the retail price of hardware increasing worldwide. Under these circumstances, raising basic wages is not seen as a mere formality, but as a deliberate strategy to retain key staff and maintain high team motivation during times of industry turmoil.