Never heard of Nintendo President Doug Bowser saying the company is union-free because of job satisfaction and engagement. The comments come from a recent interview he gave to Inverse. During the interview, the executive was asked about his views on unionization in the gaming industry.
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"You just look at our retention rates, which are very, very high in the industry, so our turnover is significantly low," Bowser said.
“Our focus has always been on creating an inclusive, work-life balanced culture and focusing on our unique mission of putting a smile on people’s faces.”
He added: "Everyone has the right to form a union and of course we will continue to respect that in the future, wherever we are."
However, Bowser's comments appear to contradict previously reported experiences of some of Nintendo's external contract employees. In 2022, a Kotaku report stated that Nintendo of America's recurring contract jobs were known for low wages, overtime, and a lack of benefits.
A month later, IGN also published a report in which Nintendo's outside contract employees criticized the company's culture and treatment. In the complaint, the contractors said they were doing the work of full-time employees but were being treated differently and receiving lower wages and without the benefits of full-time employees.
In the same year, Nintendo of America received a labor complaint in April, but the complainants reached a settlement with Nintendo in October.