Forum - View topicNEWS: Nikkei: Konami Blacklists Former Employees in Japanese Game Industry
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Cutiebunny
 Posts: 1767 |
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I'm surprised that such a method is legal in Japan, especially on the matter of another company being able to provide health insurance to its employees. Konami is basically punishing anyone that leaves the company from doing anything in the gaming field. While I understand the importance of protecting intellectual properties, Konami is basically saying that they own both current and former employees, and those that do leave, regardless of reason, will be punished for having the "audacity" to do so.
Makes you really wonder why people leave Konami, doesn't it? |
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Engineering Nerd
 Posts: 902 Location: Southern California |
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Which makes even more confused that Konami, after getting rid of Kojima and majority of its 3A-Gaming development team, end up enjoying a significant increase in profits and stock performance in last two quarters, yeah, I know they are huge in gambling machines and trading card games, but HOW?! Does transition of focusing on mobile gaming help that much?
Either way, Konami got some serious PR to take care of #FuuuuuuuxKonami |
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zrnzle500
 Posts: 3768 |
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Makes me wonder why people would want to work there after this. "Better make it your career. Or else." isn't exactly a desirable work environment. Do you really want an employer who will burn bridges on their end while you're still walking on it?
I've heard they focused these efforts on Kojima employees but that just makes them seem even more petty and vengeful. Denying people health insurance because you didn't like them leaving to form their own company? What inveterate d---holes |
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NateSelwyn25
 Posts: 141 Location: Seattle |
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To those who find this surprising: We have laws that permit something similar here in the US. Called "non-compete" clauses in employment contracts, it prohibits you from seeking work at a competitor's company or start your own, in certain types of field. Usually the contract states how long you agree not to work in the same field. In theory, it prohibits you from using company techniques or secrets to turn a personal profit, but in many instances, it really is just punishment for you leaving the job or being fired. Depending on what sort of company and what sort of information you had access to, you could basically be banned from ever working in your chosen field, for good or as long as you stay in the country. (To my knowledge, contract law violations don't carry across national borders)
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WANNFH
 Posts: 1806 |
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Hey, isn't that clearly the violation of labor laws and freedom of human rights to choose a workplace? Employees that go out from the company didn't done anything wrong and resigning at THEIR OWN WILL (even if that will is clearly the problem with shady company labor method), and because of THIS Konami uses its capabilities to influence a serious area like health insurance?
That's a friggin violation of an human rights right here. Even if it is can be "legal" in the laws of Japan (but is it, really?), it's still a violation of international labor laws. Japan is the member of UN and ILO. Former workers need to cooperate and file a collective lawsuit against a company - because international law is on their side, and Konami needs to really show to it's place. |
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Fey Fey
Posts: 17 |
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yeah after hearing this I official have zero respect for Konami. I hope they go out of business, go ahead and take MGS and any other Konami to the grave.... it'll be worth getting rid of these monsters.
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WANNFH
Posts: 1806 |
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Yes, such legislation can work against "industrial espionage" in companies where core secrets need to be hidden - but the gaming industry is full of workers that are absolutely unrelated to that, like artists and directors, 3D model and UI designers, sound directors, many others... all of them have no real deal with the company secrets and just do their own work. If that kind of laws applied to them, they're can't do their job, receive money and pay taxes. Isn't it like... illegal? |
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Zalis116
Moderator
 Posts: 6900 Location: Kazune City |
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Heishi
 Posts: 1346 |
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Its so surreal that such a company who used to make such deep, incredible games like Castlevania which is a favorite of mine, Metal Gear, and the Silent Hill series could stoop so low.
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3ngag3
Posts: 222 |
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Yeah, but in the states, Those Non-Compete clauses usually last 30-60 days. From what I gather from this report, Konami is basically saying that if you're an employee and you want to stay in the industry, you have to work for them for life. Kojima was an exception because he was too big of a name for them to shut down. |
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Cutiebunny
Posts: 1767 |
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The only thing that surprises me is that Konami is allowed to deny health care to former employees. I get wanting to prevent competition, but denying health care to former employees and their families is overly harsh.
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WANNFH
Posts: 1806 |
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Just that one thing clearly screams that Konami transgressed through the law right here. |
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SageModeKakarot
 Posts: 302 |
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can Konami just go bankrupt and collapse already, then a decent company might be able to get their IP's and actually do something with them
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chronos02
Posts: 272 |
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The main issue here is that the gaming industry is a small one, it might not look that small from the outside, but there aren't that many people working in it, including artists and programmers. This makes it possible to do things like these, telling other companies not to hire them "or else...", adding them to a blacklist (which is not legal in any way, but it's not like they're showcasing it publicly), and essentially telling everyone in the small market that is the gaming one that these people are "bad news". And not a single thing here is legal, but it happens and will keep happening as long as the industry remains this small. And this happens in many other countries too, maybe not the US, since it's large, but in EU countries, if you make an enemy out of a single person in the gaming industry that has a position of power within a company, it can be hell to find another job. You can sue all you want, but then it'd be even harder to find a job, since "you'll sue at the drop of a hat".
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Hoppy800
 Posts: 3331 |
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This is no non-compete clause those are always temporary, this is typical Japanese unpersoning by the corporate tyranny at Konami which will last forever.
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