Bandai Namco, one of Japan’s largest video game developers, has come under fire following allegations that it’s using a controversial practice known as “expulsion rooms” (oidashibeya) to pressure employees into quitting voluntarily.
While layoffs in nations such as the United States are typically straightforward, Japan’s strict labor laws have made companies like Bandai Namco turn to alternative methods to reduce their workforce.
Suletta (Kana Ichinose) is shocked in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury Episode 2 “Cursed Mobile Suit” (2022), Bandai Namco Filmworks
According to a report from Bloomberg, approximately 200 out of 1,300 employees were transferred to expulsion rooms or oidashibeya. These rooms are designed to bore targeted employees into resigning.
So what exactly happens in these rooms? Well according to the report, employees are often left with nothing to do. Though this might sound like a nice break for Westerners, it’s different in a nation such as Japan. This sort of shelving can end up leading to cultural shame or frustration, which in turn can often prompt them to accept severance packages. It seems that since the practice has started, almost 100 employees have called it quits.
This isn’t a new practice in Japan but remains legally questionable. Companies often avoid direct layoffs due to stringent regulations that make it difficult to dismiss workers without cause. Expulsion rooms are a workaround to encourage voluntary departures without breaching the law.
RELATED: Opinion: After ‘Starfield’ Was A Disappointing Disgrace, I Don’t Trust Bethesda With ‘Elder Scrolls VI’
Despite these reports, Bandai Namco denies the claims. A company spokesperson told Bloomberg: “Some employees may need to wait a certain amount of time before they are assigned their next project, but we do move forward with assignments as new projects emerge. There is no organization like an ‘oidashibeya‘ at Bandai Namco Studios designed to pressure people to leave voluntarily.”
For those who are well-versed in the concept of oidashibeya, this is not uncommon. The reality is that the use of expulsion rooms has a notorious history in Japan’s corporate world. For an example decades old, back in the early 2000s, SEGA faced a lawsuit over its use of expulsion rooms. The company was forced to publicly apologize after losing the case, damaging its reputation.
“They didn’t just put people behind a partition, they sent them to a completely different floor,” said John Szczepaniak, author of The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers.
Goku (Masako Nozawa) prepares to unleash a Dragon Fist in DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO (2024), Bandai Namco
Given Japan’s history with expulsion rooms, it’s unlikely Bandai Namco will publicly admit to the practice unless faced with undeniable legal consequences. For now, the company maintains its innocence, but the shadow of corporate misconduct looms large over its operations.
As the video game industry faces layoffs worldwide, the unique challenges of Japanese labor laws mean that Bandai Namco, if guilty of these practices, is unlikely to face immediate repercussions—though this could change if more employees come forward or legal action is taken.
News
50 Cent Clowns Dame Dash For Hitting ‘New Low’ After Dental Blunder Claim
50 Cent has continued to mock Dame Dash by claiming that the Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder has hit a “new low.” In a new interview on his America Nu Network, Dash bizarrely claimed that he was “praying” for his teeth to fall out when…
Eminem Dissed By Lil Pump After Donald Trump Wins Presidential Election
Lil Pump has celebrated Donald Trump’s presidential victory by taking a shot at Eminem, who had publicly endorsed Kamala Harris. The “Gucci Gang” rapper, one of Trump’s biggest supporters in Hip Hop, took to X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the former Apprentice star reclaimed the White House…
Cardi B Pens Heartfelt Letter To Kamala Harris After Election Loss: ‘I Am So Proud Of You’
Cardi B let the world know that Kamala Harris won her vote by appearing at a campaign rally days before the election, and now she has written a public message of support after the Vice President’s loss to Donald Trump. On Wednesday (November…
Keri Russell Jokes She’s Been with Matthew Rhys ‘So Long’ She Doesn’t ‘Remember Other Relationships’
The star of ‘The Diplomat’ met Rhys on the set of their FX show The Americans, which began in 2013, and they welcomed a son together in 2016 Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys at the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards…
Kelsea Ballerini Raves About Boyfriend Chase Stokes’ Outer Banks Costars — Including ‘Hot’ Madelyn Cline — in Sweet TikTok
The country singer also revealed which star she’s spent the most time with and who she plays card games with as she praised the show’s cast Kelsea Ballerini (left); Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline in ‘Outer Banks’. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Jackson Lee…
Chase Stokes Admits to Using His Name to Get Reservations – and His Outer Banks Costars Use His Name Too
The actor hilariously admitted to name-dropping himself at restaurants, prompting costars including Drew Starkey to admit they use Stokes’ name too Chase Stokes attends Omega House Paris 2024. Photo: Mike Marsland/Getty Chase Stokes isn’t afraid to name-drop himself to get into a restaurant,…
End of content
No more pages to load