Last Online: 8/7/07
Konami
Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. (KDEI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation (NYSE: KNM), is a leading, global developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties, specializing in the home video game market.
Headquartered in Tokyo Japan, Konami Corporation first began operating in North America in 1982, and has been publishing computer and video games as Konami of America (KOA) since 1999 from its offices in Redwood City, California near San Francisco.
In October of 2003, Konami Corporation moved to strengthen its content planning and production by expanding its operations to Los Angeles, California under the new name of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
This bold and exciting move was designed to strengthen the company’s worldwide business, North American market share and future growth in the interactive entertainment marketplace. Located in heart of the entertainment capitol, KDEI focuses on the areas of global product brand growth strategies, business development and licensing activities.
Headquartered in Tokyo Japan, Konami Corporation first began operating in North America in 1982, and has been publishing computer and video games as Konami of America (KOA) since 1999 from its offices in Redwood City, California near San Francisco.
In October of 2003, Konami Corporation moved to strengthen its content planning and production by expanding its operations to Los Angeles, California under the new name of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
This bold and exciting move was designed to strengthen the company’s worldwide business, North American market share and future growth in the interactive entertainment marketplace. Located in heart of the entertainment capitol, KDEI focuses on the areas of global product brand growth strategies, business development and licensing activities.
Career Summary
On March 19, 1973, Kozuki transformed the business into Konami Industry Co., Ltd. and began work on manufacturing "amusement machines" for arcades. Their first actual game machine was not created until 1978. They began to achieve success with hit arcade games such as 1981's Frogger, Scramble, and Super Cobra.
Between 1982 and 1985, Konami manufactured and sold game software for home PCs, producing games for the MSX and Nintendo's Family Computer ("Famicom") game consoles. This new business was in addition to, not in place of, the arcades, and many hit console games of this time period were ports of the arcade versions. Konami of America Inc. was established in Torrance, California in 1982 but moved to Illinois in 1984. Also in 1984, Konami expanded to the United Kingdom and established Konami Limited.
In February 2003, Konami adopted a new logo for its 30th anniversary. This was the previous logo. (1986–2003)
In February 2003, Konami adopted a new logo for its 30th anniversary. This was the previous logo. (1986–2003)
Konami began to achieve great success when the Famicom took off, being released in the United States as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Many of the NES/Famicom's bestselling titles were produced by Konami, including Gradius, the Castlevania series, the Contra series, and Metal Gear. Konami was one of the most active and prolific third party development studios for the NES, which led to conflict with Nintendo of America's licensing restrictions. During the heyday of the NES, Nintendo of America controlled the production of all licensed NES software titles, and limited third party developers to a maximum of five titles per year. Several companies found a way around this restriction by founding quasi-independent subsidiary corporations, effectively doubling the number of games that they could release during the year. In the case of Konami, this subsidiary was known as Ultra Games, and a large number of Konami titles were published in North America under their banner, including the original Metal Gear, Gyruss, Skate or Die, the first two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games and the critically savaged Snake's Revenge (a Japanese-made Metal Gear sequel made specifically for the western market). In Europe, faced with a similar restriction placed by Nintendo's European branch, Konami established Palcom Software Ltd. to the same end. By the early 1990s, Nintendo of America had relaxed many of the more draconian of its licensing restrictions, and, no longer needed, Ultra was shut down in 1992, with the remainder of its staff being reabsorbed into Konami's official American branch.
In 1992, members of Konami left to form Treasure Co. Ltd, which, like Konami, is also well known in the video gaming community for creating high caliber shooters and action games.
In 1999, Konami moved its U.S corporate offices from Buffalo Grove, Illinois to its current location in Redwood City, California. The Buffalo Grove location remains open strictly for the manufacturing of Konami's arcade video games.
In 2003, Konami of America closed down their arcade division due to heavy losses; the entire Buffalo Grove location was shut down along with it. All machine inquires and new machines will be handled by Betson Enterprises.
Also in 2003, Konami teamed up the Japanese film production company, Toho Company, Ltd. to create their own franchise of TV series in the tokusatsu genre, known as the ChÅ
Between 1982 and 1985, Konami manufactured and sold game software for home PCs, producing games for the MSX and Nintendo's Family Computer ("Famicom") game consoles. This new business was in addition to, not in place of, the arcades, and many hit console games of this time period were ports of the arcade versions. Konami of America Inc. was established in Torrance, California in 1982 but moved to Illinois in 1984. Also in 1984, Konami expanded to the United Kingdom and established Konami Limited.
In February 2003, Konami adopted a new logo for its 30th anniversary. This was the previous logo. (1986–2003)
In February 2003, Konami adopted a new logo for its 30th anniversary. This was the previous logo. (1986–2003)
Konami began to achieve great success when the Famicom took off, being released in the United States as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Many of the NES/Famicom's bestselling titles were produced by Konami, including Gradius, the Castlevania series, the Contra series, and Metal Gear. Konami was one of the most active and prolific third party development studios for the NES, which led to conflict with Nintendo of America's licensing restrictions. During the heyday of the NES, Nintendo of America controlled the production of all licensed NES software titles, and limited third party developers to a maximum of five titles per year. Several companies found a way around this restriction by founding quasi-independent subsidiary corporations, effectively doubling the number of games that they could release during the year. In the case of Konami, this subsidiary was known as Ultra Games, and a large number of Konami titles were published in North America under their banner, including the original Metal Gear, Gyruss, Skate or Die, the first two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games and the critically savaged Snake's Revenge (a Japanese-made Metal Gear sequel made specifically for the western market). In Europe, faced with a similar restriction placed by Nintendo's European branch, Konami established Palcom Software Ltd. to the same end. By the early 1990s, Nintendo of America had relaxed many of the more draconian of its licensing restrictions, and, no longer needed, Ultra was shut down in 1992, with the remainder of its staff being reabsorbed into Konami's official American branch.
In 1992, members of Konami left to form Treasure Co. Ltd, which, like Konami, is also well known in the video gaming community for creating high caliber shooters and action games.
In 1999, Konami moved its U.S corporate offices from Buffalo Grove, Illinois to its current location in Redwood City, California. The Buffalo Grove location remains open strictly for the manufacturing of Konami's arcade video games.
In 2003, Konami of America closed down their arcade division due to heavy losses; the entire Buffalo Grove location was shut down along with it. All machine inquires and new machines will be handled by Betson Enterprises.
Also in 2003, Konami teamed up the Japanese film production company, Toho Company, Ltd. to create their own franchise of TV series in the tokusatsu genre, known as the ChÅ
