More than 850 Neople employees held South Korea's first-ever game developers' strike
For the past month and a half, employees of the South Korean studio Neople — the creators of The First Berserker: Khazan — have been actively criticizing their working conditions. Their dissatisfaction has already led to a strike involving hundreds of people.
The First Berserker: Khazan
The catalyst was the issue of overtime work and a reduction in annual bonuses despite the studio's record revenues. In 2024, Neople earned over $950 million for the first time, but compared to 2023, employee bonus payouts were reduced by about a third.
According to media reports, before launching a full-scale strike, developers held several protest campaigns. For instance, in mid-June, they announced their refusal to arrive early at work, work overtime, and work weekends. Apparently, these actions did not have a significant impact, so at the end of the month, more than 850 Neople employees participated in a rally. This is a substantial number: as of December 31, 2024, the studio had 1,400 employees.
It is reported that Neople is the first game company in South Korea to organize a strike. However, as of now, its employees have not reached an agreement with the management.