Share of TPC’s cost of sales that a headcount-scaled fee could explain, year to February 2024

What this is

Creatures chart points dated label+1 April ( note); Game Freak company-page counts; interpolation geometric between dated points. Staff-cost band ¥10–15m/head and ×1–2 overhead from.

The values

• Multiple year to February 2022→24: 1.27
• COGS per founder head year to February 2024: ¥321m
• Share of year to February 2024 COGS: 3.1 to 9.4%
• Fee growth year to February 2022→24 ¥ billion (96 heads × ¥10–30m): 0.96 to 2.88
• Share of COGS increase 39.1bn: 2.5 to 7.4%

Some detail is too fine to show here; it is kept in the trainer’s notes.

Where it comes from

Our calculation from other figures in the trainer’s notes:

• ReportedEmployees, Apr 2021 (chart label 2020)155 persons
• EstimateA test of whether Creatures’ and Game Freak’s profits could come from cost-plus development fees

Where it’s used

• StoryThe founders
• Chart · The foundersThe Pokémon Company’s cost of sales rose 4.7-fold while Game Freak and Creatures staff less than doubled

Related figures

Built from this one

• EstimatePre pocket growth multiples year to March 2022 print base, TPC year to February 2022–year to February 2024; print year to March 2022–year to March 2024