How to Get Hired at Bandai Namco
Bandai Namco Studios is the internal development arm behind Tekken, Tales of series, Dragon Ball games, and Blue Protocol. Art roles span photorealistic fighting game characters, cel-shaded anime IP, and AAA fantasy environments.
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Studio at a Glance
Art Style by Franchise
Bandai Namco Studios develops across wildly different visual styles. Portfolio match to the specific franchise is critical.
Tekken / Soul Calibur
3D FightingTekken characters require hyper-detailed realistic human modeling with extreme attention to clothing, material, and muscle deformation. Characters must read clearly in close-up camera angles at 60fps. Soul Calibur blends realistic proportions with fantasy costume design.
- Hyper-detailed realistic character modeling
- Clothing physics and deformation ready
- Fight-pose readability at close range
- Material work at costume and skin level
Dragon Ball / Anime IP
Cel-Shaded AnimeBandai Namco publishes and develops multiple anime-license games including Dragon Ball FighterZ, One Piece, and Gundam. These require cel-shaded 3D models that accurately match the source 2D animation style. Speed and IP accuracy are key.
- Cel-shaded 3D matching 2D anime reference
- IP-accurate character proportions
- Outline shader and toon rendering knowledge
- Fast iteration to match animation reference
Tales of Series
Action RPG FantasyTales of Arise pushed the series into semi-realistic anime territory with high-quality environments and character work. Environmental concept art and 3D environments balance fantasy design with readable production quality.
- Fantasy environment concept and 3D
- Semi-realistic character modeling
- Anime-adjacent visual direction matching
- Prop and architecture design for fantasy settings
Blue Protocol
Anime Style OnlineBlue Protocol (online action RPG) uses a distinctive anime art style with real-time rendering. Technical artists and environment artists need strong knowledge of UE4/UE5 and anime-style material production at online game scale.
- Anime-style 3D character and environment art
- UE4/UE5 material system knowledge
- Online game performance optimization
- Style-consistent asset production at scale
The Hiring Process
5 stages from portfolio screening to offer. Most art development roles are Tokyo-based.
Portfolio Application
Submit via Bandai Namco Studios careers site or job boards. Bandai Namco Studios in Tokyo is the primary development studio. International roles exist at Bandai Namco Research (US/EU) and through co-development agreements.
2-4 weeks screeningHR Screen
Introductory call covering availability, role fit, and location. Tokyo roles are primarily for Japanese-speaking candidates or international hires willing to relocate. EU/US roles do not require Japanese.
30-45 minArt Lead Interview
Discussion with the art director or lead artist of the specific game team. Expect deep questions about your process, tools, and how you match the specific franchise style you’ve applied to target.
1-2 hoursArt Test
A franchise-specific art test brief. For character artist roles, expect a character sheet or model build from reference. For technical art roles, expect a pipeline optimization or shader task. Timeline typically 1-2 weeks.
1-2 weeksFinal Approval and Offer
Executive or department head sign-off before offer. Japan-based offers include relocation support. EU roles typically offer competitive salaries in EUR.
1-2 weeksSalary Ranges
Japan salaries in JPY. EU office salaries in EUR. Data estimated from Glassdoor and LinkedIn Salary reports.
| Role | Level | Salary | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character Artist | Mid | 4,500,000 – 7,000,000 JPY | Tokyo |
| Environment Artist | Senior | 7,000,000 – 10,500,000 JPY | Tokyo |
| Technical Artist | Senior | EUR 55,000 – EUR 75,000 | EU Offices |
| Art Director | Lead | 11,000,000 – 16,000,000 JPY | Tokyo |
Portfolio Tips by Discipline
Fighting Game Character Artists
- Photorealistic face and body modeling
- Detailed clothing and material work
- Multiple outfit variations
- Deformation-ready topology
Anime IP Character Artists
- 2D-to-3D anime style translation
- Cel-shaded rendering knowledge
- IP-accurate character proportions
- Clean topology for animation
Environment Artists
- Fantasy architectural environments
- Unreal Engine 4/5 material and lighting
- Strong sense of atmosphere and mood
- Modular kit construction systems
Technical Artists
- Anime-style shader development (toon and outline)
- Python and MEL pipeline tools
- Houdini for procedural systems
- Multi-platform performance optimization
Publisher vs Developer — Know the Difference
Bandai Namco is primarily a publisher. Elden Ring and Dark Souls were developed by FromSoftware, a fully independent studio — Bandai Namco published them. Development roles are at Bandai Namco Studios (the internal dev arm). Most developer roles are Tokyo-based. International (EU/US) Bandai Namco offices are primarily for publishing, marketing, and localization — development roles there are limited.
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FAQ
How do I get a game art job at Bandai Namco?
Apply to Bandai Namco Studios (the development arm) via their careers site. Most art development roles are in Tokyo. International positions exist at EU offices but are limited. Portfolio alignment to the specific franchise style is essential.
Did Bandai Namco develop Elden Ring?
No. Elden Ring and the Dark Souls series were developed by FromSoftware, which is an independent studio. Bandai Namco published these games. To work on Elden Ring, apply to FromSoftware directly.
What art style does Bandai Namco use?
Styles vary heavily by franchise. Tekken uses photorealistic human characters. Dragon Ball and anime-license games use cel-shaded 3D. Tales of series uses fantasy semi-realism. Blue Protocol uses a distinct anime real-time style.
What salary does Bandai Namco pay?
Tokyo-based roles are in JPY — estimated 4.5M-10.5M JPY for mid to senior artists. EU office roles are in EUR — estimated EUR 55,000-75,000 for senior technical and environment roles. Bandai Namco does not publicly disclose salary bands.
What software does Bandai Namco expect artists to know?
Depends by team. Most active projects use Unreal Engine 4/5. Character work uses Maya, ZBrush, Substance 3D. Anime-style teams need toon shader knowledge. Technical artists should know Houdini, Python, and MEL.
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