Professor Layton Studio Offers 'Significant' Pay Raises—If Employees Ace Company Trivia Quizzes

Level-5, the developer behind Professor Layton, is offering 'significant' salary increases to employees who can correctly answer trivia questions about the company's games. CEO Akihiro Hino revealed to Famitsu that these 'knowledge quizzes' unlock substantial pay bumps at the Japanese studio, but only for staff who get the answers right. Headquartered in Fukuoka with offices in Tokyo and Osaka, Level-5 is famous for the puzzle adventures of Professor Layton, as well as the Pokémon-like RPG Yo-kai Watch, soccer series Inazuma Eleven, and Studio Ghibli-esque RPG Ni No Kuni. Hino noted that while the exact amount of the raise hasn't been disclosed, it astonished reporters. He explained that this unusual policy has a business purpose: employees with deep knowledge of the company's games can take on more work or mentor others, streamlining workflow and boosting efficiency. 'If their knowledge is insufficient, we'll need other team members to support them or review their work,' Hino said. 'But if they do have that knowledge, they can take the lead and even streamline the workflow.' Level-5's next major release is Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, launching later this year on PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2. This marks the series' debut on PC and PlayStation, as previous titles were exclusive to Nintendo handhelds and smartphones.