The development studio behind one of gaming’s most profitable franchises has gone on strike. Neople, the Nexon-owned developer responsible for the Dungeon Fighter series, began an indefinite strike in early August 2024 after employees learned their bonuses would be significantly reduced while executive bonuses reportedly increased.
The timing is especially noteworthy as the strike coincides with Dungeon Fighter‘s 25th anniversary. A major offline festival planned for August 8, 2024, was canceled directly because of the labor action, disappointing fans who had been looking forward to the celebration.
At the heart of the dispute is money—specifically, how the massive profits from the Dungeon Fighter franchise are distributed. The Neople union is demanding that 4% of gross revenue be allocated to employee bonuses, arguing that workers deserve a fair share of the game’s extraordinary success. Dungeon Fighter has generated over $22bn in lifetime revenue, making it one of the highest-grossing video game franchises of all time.
Despite the strike, reports indicate that the Dungeon Fighter Mobile team is set to receive approximately $44m in bonuses, distributed among roughly 400 developers. This comes after an initial payout of around $70m in February, meaning some team members will receive bonuses totaling more than five times their annual salary. This has created an obvious pay gap within the company that has only added fuel to the fire.
Neople developers already receive some of the highest average salaries in the South Korean gaming industry—approximately 219 million won (about $156,000) annually. However, the union maintains these high figures resulted from previous labor actions and don’t justify cutting bonuses, especially as the franchise continues to be hugely profitable.
The mobile version alone reportedly earned $100m in its first ten days after launch in China and reached $300m within its first month. With these huge numbers, the union says employees should see their share of the rewards for the success they helped build.
Pixel rebellion pays off
This isn’t the first time Neople’s workers have taken action. The union staged a similar strike last year, which led to significant spot bonuses for employees. The company boasts an impressively low quit rate, suggesting that despite these disputes, it remains a great workplace—likely due to the combination of high pay and a strong union presence.
Nexon, Neople’s parent company, is well-known for pioneering microtransactions and implementing aggressive monetization strategies. While reports suggest Nexon maintains a relatively hands-off approach to Neople’s operations and isn’t directly involved in labor negotiations, the strike highlights growing tensions throughout the industry regarding the fair distribution of profits between executives, shareholders, and the creative staff who develop these hugely successful games.
