Indie games publisher Whitethorn Games has published several financial data points, including the salary of its CEO and the average among its employees, as part of an effort to combat secrecy in the games industry.
Whitethorn is best known for publishing wholesome indie games such as bathhouse manager Onsen Master (developed by Waking Oni Games), beekeeping simulator Apico (developed by TNgineers) and last year's Wytchwood (developed by Alientrap). It hopes its commitment to transparency will push other parts of the industry to do the same, making the industry more equitable over all.
"The people at Whitethorn Games strongly believe that if more companies followed their lead, the gaming industry could move beyond some of its antiquated ways of keeping details close to the vest," the company said in a statement.
Whitethorn says it has around 35 employees in total, with each employee making an average of $51,000 a year. The company's CEO, Dr. Matthew White, makes $75,000 in salary.
In addition to payment information, Whitethorn has revealed that it spends around $232,100 in direct funding for each game it publishes, and an additional $56,000 on average for direct marketing.
Even more financial data, including tax incentives, revenue details and more, can be found on Whitethorn's site.
"Whitethorn is committed to ensuring that everyone it does business with — employees, consumers, development partners, and platform partners — are operating with its complete and honest cooperation," the company said.
This article was originally published on dbltap as Whitethorn Games Publishes CEO Salary & Spending in Transparency Bid.
