Bandai Namco has announced a revision for executive salaries, with changes implemented to encourage better performance at the highest levels of business. As surfaced by Automaton, executive salaries at the company will now be delivered at a ratio of 30:70, where 30% of the salary is formal executive pay, and the other 70% is based specifically on individual performance.
Per Automaton, citing the company’s 2024 Integrated Report, this ratio was previously set at 40:60. In addition to this change, 50% of the total earnings of executives will be delivered as stock, rather than cash. It appears this decision has been made to incentivise executives to act in the best interest of the company, and to maximise their daily work performance.
Bonuses are also impacted by these changes, as they’ll now only be delivered when Bandai Namco meets key profit targets and sustainability. Given the amount of money many executives at gaming companies earn – Bandai Namco’s executive salary is still capped at a whopping USD $4.14 million, per Automaton – the changes make a lot of sense.
Whether the practical implementation will work, and how it will change the company, remains to be seen. With profit and shareholder satisfaction at the forefront of executive bonuses and salary, it could shift focus away from innovative new games and creativity.
Read: Bandai Namco Online set to be absorbed by Bandai Namco Entertainment
Bandai Namco moving forward
That said, it does appear Bandai Namco is still investing in a brighter future for its games division moving forward, as it recently increased salaries as a means of attracting more experienced staff. While this came at the cost of removing some employee bonuses, this money is essentially being redistributed for higher overall income.
It’s also worth noting the company remains highly profitable, reportedly seeing 995% annual growth in its video games profit in the 2025 financial year, thanks to the strong success of Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree, as well as Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero. While this major growth is tempered by the low performance of the prior year, which featured several game cancellations, it’s still an impressive result that indicates Bandai Namco remains in a strong financial position.
With a refreshed, positive outlook for the year ahead, Bandai Namco is hoping to leverage the support of its executives to drive further growth for the company.
