InnoGames, the brainiacs behind Forge of Empires and Rise of Cultures, just shook up their salary setups to level up pay fairness in the gaming world.
Back in 2022, this Hamburg hotshot was the pioneer among German game gurus, revealing their salary scales to spotlight who’s earning what in which department.
Now in 2024, they’re dropping a fresh update, spruced up with new data and adjustments, and they’re shouting it from the digital rooftops once more.
Earnings of InnoGames Employees
Junior QA engineers at InnoGames earn €38,000 to €50,000, while junior developers make €48,000 to €58,000. Senior QA engineers can earn over €85,000, and head developers receive €115,000 annually.
For artists, salaries start at €34,000 and can exceed €80,000 for senior team leads. Community managers start at €34,000 and can earn over €85,000 in senior positions.
“Regular” employees, who are above junior but below senior levels, earn up to €65,000 as QA engineers, €72,000 as analysts, and €75,000 as developers.
The highest-paying roles at InnoGames are head developer and product manager head, both offering salaries above €115,000.
InnoGames Illuminates Industry Standards with Transparent Salary Bands
InnoGames’ decision to disclose its salary brackets has not only provided a valuable benchmark for Germany’s games industry but also addressed broader pay disparities, transcending gender and negotiation prowess barriers by fostering accessible information.
InnoGames COO Michael Zillmer accidentally made their salary bands public, unintentionally creating a salary survey for the German gaming scene. The feedback has been positive, highlighting the need for fair pay regardless of gender or negotiation skills.
Christiane Gäb, InnoGames’ people and culture director, emphasizes their regular review of salary structures to stay competitive in the German job market, aligning with the top third of industry standards.
She further reveals that the most recent adjustment in early 2023 resulted in significant increases of up to 37% for traditionally lower-paid roles such as game designers, artists, community managers, and QA engineers.
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