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Game Developer Granzella, 2 Affiliates Referred to Prosecutors for Allegedly Unpaid Employee Wages

MRO Hokuriku Broadcasting reported on Tuesday that the Kanazawa Labor Standards Inspection Office has referred the Kanazawa-based game development company Granzella and its affiliates Gakuten Games and R Studio to prosecutors, after they had allegedly failed to pay employees nine months' worth of wages, for an approximate total of 18.41 million yen (about US$117,589). The inspection office also referred Granzella's 59-year-old male president and R Studio's 59-year-old female representative director to prosecutors. 

According to the Kanazawa Labor Standards Inspection Office, the companies are suspected are suspected of failing to pay nine months' worth of wages to a total of 46 employees between May 2023 and August 2024. Following consultations with the employees, the inspection office provided administrative guidance, but the situation did not improve, which led to the referral on Tuesday. Some of the unpaid wages have been paid, but the majority of the wages reportedly remain unpaid.

On Wednesday, Granzella's representative director Takeshi Nagura released a statement regarding the reports. Nagura explained that between May 2023 and May 2025, the company lacked the funds necessary to make wage payments due to a business downturn. After consulting with the employees, the company asked to postpone wage payments that were due in May, June, and August 2023. The company continued to pay newly accrued salaries, but it took time to pay the outstanding amount, and it was only finally resolved in May 2025. The company admitted that it has been a long period of inconvenience to the employees. 

Nagura added that during the business downturn period, some employees formed a new production company in an attempt to turn things around, but that company also struggled to get on track in the first few months since it was established, also resulting in several delays in payments. Nagura stated that the business is now back on track, salaries are being paid, and they are currently making installment payments for the unpaid balance, and is expected to be fully resolved by this spring. 

Nagura also stated that the company is currently reviewing reports that contain inaccurate facts. He has admitted to causing inconvenience to its employees, and is reviewing its system to improve it and prevent such incident from happening again. 

The company sincerely apologized for the great concern and inconvenience the incident has caused, and stated that it will comply with laws and regulations to restore trust, and will continue to create an environment where employees can feel safe. 

Granzella released the R-Type Final 2 sequel game for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam worldwide in April 2021.

NIS America launched Granzella's R-Type Final 3 Evolved game for PlayStation 5 in North America and in Europe in April 2023.

Granzella will launch in Japan the R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos game for Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, PlS4, Xbox X|S, and PC on March 12. NIS America will publish the game in English.

Sources: MRO Radio & Television, Game Spark (Mio) via Hachima Kikō, Granzella