February's here, and we're starting to catch those first hints of spring in the air, but we haven't said goodbye to the cold days yet!
We've decorated our office communication area Park with plum blossoms and small songbirds to welcome spring, but if I'm honest it still feels kinda far off.
Early February brought our annual Confide Meeting, an opportunity for all Lasengle employees to come together.
We've intentionally gone against the trend of doing everything online and have kept this as an in-person event. There's something about coming together in the same place, breathing the same air, and feeling the same atmosphere that digital just can't replace. It's something that holds irreplaceable value.
A few team members sadly had to miss the event, but we still had our highest attendance ever. Hard not to feel happy about that!
At this year's Confide Meeting, we looked back at what we've done and shared our vision for where we're going, from the perspectives of development, operations, and business.
Of course, depending where you are in the company, executives, manager, or staff on the ground, you're going to be seeing a different landscape. Still, I truly believe that we managed to have the kind of positive dialogue that helps align everyone toward the same goal. (Pure CEO positive thinking right there!)
I'm sure some people might get the impression that the executives just forced everyone to show up, or that it was all just management patting themselves on the back while the staff sat there bored.
But for me, seeing the expressions and feeling the atmosphere from everyone who attended told me everything I needed to know. (Of course, if you told me they were just putting on a good face because the boss was watching, well, I'd have nothing to say to that!)
At the very least, I didn't sense any negative energy. That alone makes me feel this Confide Meeting was worth it.
The Confide Meeting was split into two parts. Part one was the business section.
Managers, producers, and directors from each project gave detailed presentations about what they've done and where they're headed.
Part two was a social event, a celebration for everyone at the company.
In this section, we recognize outstanding employees from the year's work with an award's ceremony.
We awarded prizes based on Lasengle's 4Cs. The management team selected winners for the Change Award, Challenge Award, and Chance Award, while the Confide Award winner was chosen by employee votes.
For this award, every employee at the event votes online, we tally the results on the spot, and present the award right then and there. We've done it this way every year.
The Confide Award isn't decided by someone in authority. It's a direct reflection of what each employee values in a team member.
I'll be honest: when we announce the Confide Award each year, I get a little emotional.
Confide = Trust. It's a moment when I can truly feel that trust has been built among our employees, at least within that room.
What the Confide Meeting reinforced for me is that we need to create an even better environment where more employees can focus on creative work.
Compensation, systems, work styles, organizational structure, there's still plenty of room for improvement. As management, I'm committed to facing these challenges head-on.
Shifting gears a bit, at the end of January, we held a company information session at the Sony Group Career Forum for students graduating in 2027.
In past Lasengle recruitment events, we've taken some creative approaches to introducing the company, but this time we went 180 degrees in the opposite direction.
We had employees in their first and second years talk about what Lasengle is really like right now, the company atmosphere, the culture, the gaps between expectations and reality, and what they've learned. All in their own words. No fancy presentation, just them being themselves.
That's why I think their message landed most directly with students wondering what Lasengle is really like.
In today's world, it's easy to research a company, but getting a feel for it is another matter. I think having our newest employees share their experiences in this authentic way goes a long way toward filling that gap.
But it doesn't end here. We're continuing to expand our touchpoints with students.
First up, for 2027 graduates, we're exhibiting at the Mynavi 2027 Career EXPO, hosting booths in both Tokyo (Saturday, February 21st) and Osaka (Sunday, March 1st).
https://www.lasengle.co.jp/news/news-company/20260206_045817/
We'll be sharing information on Lasengle's strengths and characteristics, the kind of people we're looking for, and our upcoming recruitment schedule.
It's our first time to take one of these information sessions to Osaka and I'm really excited to meet students from the Osaka area.
If you're interested in a career in the game industry or want to talk directly with people working at Lasengle, please feel free to stop by our booth.
On February 12th, we're holding an online job description session for designer positions aimed at 2027 graduates.
https://www.lasengle.co.jp/news/news-company/20260120_583010/
This will be a casual session where team members working in design will speak about design work in the game industry and what it's like working as a designer at Lasengle. If you're thinking about building a career as a designer in the game industry, why not join us?
We'll see how well this approach works when we hear from those who join us in 2027 and 2028 and will keep working to help people understand Lasengle's development and operations from as many angles as possible.
Whether it's the Confide Meeting or our recruitment activities, what they have in common is people and atmosphere.
Lasengle is a company that makes games, but it's also a place where people gather, think, struggle, and create things together.
How do we maintain that warmth, that human touch? How do we nurture it? In 2026, we'll keep working through those questions as we take things one step at a time, both as a business and as a creative studio.
See you next time in "From the CEO's Desk"!
Yoshinori X（Twitter）