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[이데일리 이대호 기자] ‘Battleground’s father’ Kim Chang-han, CEO of Kraftton, made a decision. On the 25th, the company announced this year’s management policy through the in-house communication program’KRAFTON LIVE TALK (KLT)’. On this day, the company unveiled several programs for training talent at the same time as raising the salary including the industry’s best basic salary system.
According to the industry on the 25th, CEO Chang-Han Kim has continued to worry about employee compensation and strengthening production capabilities since he became CEO of the parent company Krafton in June of last year. Nexon and Netmarble announced a collective salary increase one step later, but the company has been thinking about it since last year. In the world, it can be said that Kraftton founder Jang Byung-gyu (chairman of the board of directors) made a decision, but this increase in salary is confirmed by the will of CEO Kim.
◇ Produced world-class box office work as a period of existence… As the industry’s best annual salary company
Before the success of Battlegrounds, during the days of Blue Hole, the predecessor of Krafton, there were times when there were no box office hits that could surpass the existing’Tera’, so there were times when they were at a crossroads of existence. In the midst of this, the founder Byeong-gyu Jang (chairman of the board of directors) made a bet on the Battle Ground project, which made the current craft.
Taking this into account, Krafton only started making profits for about three years. The situation is different from competitors called Big 3. For this reason, executives, including CEO Kim, have repeatedly struggled with raising salaries and strengthening production capabilities. In the announcement that day, we can glimpse the company’s concerns.
Krafton makes full investments in existing members and new talents. In 2021, the annual salary of the developing and non-development workers will be increased by 20 million won and 15 million won. For new college graduates, the annual salary is set at 60 million won and 50 million won, respectively, and the highest level of basic wage system in the game industry is established. The scale of public recruitment is also planned to be greatly expanded to hundreds of people.
It is an increase in salary that exceeds Nexon and Netmarble. According to the quarterly report published by Krafton in November last year, the number of employees is 705. The average annual salary is 48 million won. That’s a huge salary increase.
◇A salary increase only? Significantly strengthen game production capabilities
Krafton introduces a system to strengthen game production capabilities. A new’PD training program’ will be established in which CEO Chang-han Kim and senior PDs directly participate. It is a system that allows developers with qualifications as PDs to △to develop an understanding of game production and to manage production △to grow into talents who can connect creativity (creative) and the market.
They grow into professional PDs, so they can create more competitive games with craftsmanship creators. CEO Chang-Han Kim, who led the development of Battleground, a global intellectual property (IP), takes direct command as Chief Production Officer (CPO).
We also create an environment that continuously encourages challenges. The’Challengers Room’ is newly established and talents who are not assigned to the official project can form a project or team on their own. In the Challengers Room, you can pursue growth or find opportunities to demonstrate your competence in official projects. In order to create a masterpiece, constant challenge is required, and it is to allow a variety of talents to enter the process of challenge.
CEO Kim Chang-han said, “Krafton has been advocating a special game company that does not exist in Korea with the vision of creating a masterpiece of production from the start and the goal of success in the global market. I thought about it, and I decided to focus on creating an environment where members and the company can grow together through active investments and challenges for talent from this year.”