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{{Company | {{Company | ||
|name=Namco | |name=Namco Ltd.<br />株式会社ナムコ | ||
|image= | |image=Namco Logo.png | ||
|founded= | |founder=Masaya Nakamura | ||
| | |founded=1955 | ||
|closed=2006 | |||
|merged=Namco Bandai Games | |||
|website=http://namco.com/ | |website=http://namco.com/ | ||
}} | }} | ||
Based in Tokyo, {{nihongo|'''Namco'''|株式会社ナムコ|Kabushiki Kaisha Namuko}} was formed in [[1955]] by Masaya Nakamura. The company originally made rocking horses and other toys until 1971 when it acquired [[Atari]]'s Japanese division and started developing video games. Namco America was then formed in California. | |||
Based in Tokyo, '''Namco''' was formed in [[1955]] by Masaya Nakamura. The company originally made rocking | |||
Namco started making arcade games in Japan and its first game [[Gee Bee]] was released in 1978. A year later [[Galaxian]] was released and was Namco's first big hit in the video gaming market. The following years in the 80's Namco released some of its best arcade games including [[Pac-Man]], [[Galaga]], [[Dig Dug]] and [[Xevious]]. Namco continued to release arcade titles while shifting their focus to the video console market. It continues to expand its [[Tekken]] and [[Time Crisis]] series in arcades and also released [[Mario Kart Arcade GP]] into arcades in 2005. [[Tekken 6]] and [[Bomberman Stadium]] are being released in 2007. | Namco started making arcade games in Japan and its first game [[Gee Bee]] was released in 1978. A year later [[Galaxian]] was released and was Namco's first big hit in the video gaming market. The following years in the 80's Namco released some of its best arcade games including [[Pac-Man]], [[Galaga]], [[Dig Dug]] and [[Xevious]]. Namco continued to release arcade titles while shifting their focus to the video console market. It continues to expand its [[Tekken]] and [[Time Crisis]] series in arcades and also released [[Mario Kart Arcade GP]] into arcades in 2005. [[Tekken 6]] and [[Bomberman Stadium]] are being released in 2007. | ||
The company first got into the console market when it licensed some of its arcade games to the [[Atari]], and they programmed several conversions for the [[MSX]] line of computers. It was one of the first 3rd party companies to develop games for [[NES | The company first got into the console market when it licensed some of its arcade games to the [[Atari]], and they programmed several conversions for the [[MSX]] line of computers. It was one of the first 3rd party companies to develop games for the [[NES]]. Some games, mostly ports of arcade games to home consoles, were labeled with the name '''Namcot'''. | ||
Many of Namco's biggest franchises | Many of Namco's biggest franchises were developed during the mid-90s. In 1993 the driving simulation game [[Ridge Racer]] was released into arcades and later on the [[PlayStation]]. [[Tekken]] was released in 1994. | ||
In the new | In the new millennium Namco started developing for the new era of consoles, the Nintendo [[GameCube]], Sony [[PlayStation 2]], Sega [[Dreamcast]], Microsoft [[Xbox]] and the Nintendo [[Game Boy Advance]]. In 1999, Namco released [[Soul Calibur]] onto the Dreamcast as a spin-off to the [[Soul Edge]] series. The franchise would soon to become major in its second installment and, with Tekken as well, it cemented Namco's dominance in the fighting game genre. The company helped all consoles, contributing many exclusives to each console. Although less so for the Xbox because of it being American, and it was Microsoft's first stab in the video gaming market. | ||
The | The PlayStation got many games from the [[Tales]] and [[Xenosaga]] series. The [[GameCube]] got the new RPG series [[Baten Kaitos]] and the hugely successful [[Tales of Symphonia]]. Namco also helped Nintendo develop the [[Donkey Konga]] series and [[Star Fox Assault]]. A new franchise was also developed for the Game Boy Advance called [[Klonoa]]. Also the company started developing for the Xbox with [[Pac-Man World]]. | ||
==Bandai== | ==Bandai== | ||
On 29th September 2005 Namco merged with Japanese toymaker [[Bandai]] to form one of the largest companies in Japan, Namco Bandai Holdings Inc. | On 29th September 2005 Namco merged with Japanese toymaker [[Bandai]] to form one of the largest companies in Japan, Namco Bandai Holdings Inc. In 2006, the joint company took its first steps into mobile phone gaming in America. | ||
Namco | Namco announced support for the [[Nintendo DS]] and Sony [[PSP]] in 2004. It has since developed Ridge Racer and Tales games for both handhelds. It also exclusively developed [[Pac-Pix]] and [[Point Blank DS]] for the Nintendo DS. And for the Sony PSP it exclusively developed [[Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception]] and [[Me and My Katamari]]. | ||
[[ | Namco has started developing games for the Microsoft [[Xbox 360]], Nintendo [[Wii]] and Sony [[PlayStation 3]]. Some games they have released include [[Ridge Racer 7]] and [[Soulcalibur IV]]. |