Interview with Makoto Suzuki of NACG Studio, a VFX and 3D character creator! What is offshore development and working style in Vietnam?

Mr. Suzuki: Nice to meet you!

Suzuki : NACG was established in Da Nang, Vietnam as a subsidiary of Natsume Atari Co. VFX is indispensable for games, of course, but especially for the flashy effects of amusement machines. However, the number of VFX designers in Japan is quite small, and there is a competition for human resources. Therefore, we set our sights on countries outside of Japan, especially Vietnam, which is experiencing remarkable growth, and established a subsidiary there two years ago. As of November 2022, we have a total of 18 employees: 8 VFX designers for pachinko/pachislot machines, 7 3D designers who create character and background models for games, and 3 interpreters and bridge workers. I myself have been involved in 3D character production in the past, so we have such a system in place. NACG also suffered a major blow due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus, but we have regained our momentum and are now working hard every day to further develop our business.

Mr. Suzuki: Vietnam has received a surprisingly large amount of investment from other countries, and more than 10 game companies are currently developing offshore operations in Vietnam. In Vietnam, there are many freelance workers, but we often receive mid-career applications for immediate employment because of the lack of stability. We also work closely with vocational schools, and we sometimes hire students as interns to teach them our know-how. Since the city of Da Nang is currently attracting a lot of attention, we also have people who say, "I came here for an interview because I want to work in Da Nang.

Mr . Suzuki: That's right. The average age in Japan is in their late 40s, but the average age in Vietnam is about 30. At NACG, the age range is from 20 to 35, and young employees in their 20s are also working hard. Vietnamese people are not as conscious of retirement as the Japanese, so I think one of the characteristics of NACG is that young employees can gain more and more experience.

Suzuki: We use Slack for business communication, and instructions from the head office are sent to the channel where NACG's designers and interpreters are located. Progress checks and quality checks are done on a checklist basis through the interpreter, so I think our work goes very smoothly.

Mr. Suzuki: There is a clear on-off routine, and we often go out for drinks after work. We often go out for a drink after work. We all get along well, and even if something goes wrong, things are back to normal the next day (laugh). This year we went to Thailand.

Mr. Suzuki: In terms of relations with Japan, UNIQLO, MUJI, Aeon, etc. have recently been expanding into Vietnam. Ace Coc's instant noodle "Hao Hao" has been popular for a long time and is so well established that many people do not know that it is a Japanese company. There are many convenience stores that are familiar to Japanese people, such as FamilyMart and 7-Eleven, and in urban areas they are as well-stocked as in Japan.

Mr. Suzuki: Vietnamese people love Japanese anime and games so much that I wish more Japanese people knew about them. When I walk around the city on holidays, I see game tournaments being held, and people wearing cosplay costumes and showing how well they know such characters.

Suzuki: At NACG, we are currently producing VFX for amusement machines for the Japanese market and 3D characters and backgrounds for games. We are still only working with the head office, but we have a good reputation and are getting good results. Our employees are young and upwardly mobile, so we can expect to see more success in the future, and I feel that Vietnam is becoming accustomed to offshore operations. We have learned that if we give them detailed instructions, they will produce results that are commensurate with those instructions. We have a pool of human resources in Vietnam, and NACG hires people who can do professional work, so I think we are able to receive orders more cheaply than in other Asian countries. Some people may be concerned about language barriers or the impression that cheap or poor quality is a bad thing, but I and others are ready to follow up on this. Another advantage of NACG is that we can place orders in Japanese yen regardless of the exchange rate. We also offer a trial period, so please feel free to contact us for more information.

Mr. Suzuki: Thank you very much!