Kemco
| File:Kemco.svg Logo used since 1999 | |
| Company type | Brand of Kotobuki Solution Co., Ltd |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessor | Kotobuki System Co., Ltd. |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Kure, Hiroshima, Japan |
Number of employees | 140[1] (2019) |
| Website | www.kemco-games.com |
Kemco (abbreviated from Kotobuki Engineering & Manufacturing Co., Ltd.) is a Japanese video game developer and publisher established in 1984. It is headquartered in Kure, Hiroshima.[2][3]
One of its best known franchises is the Top Gear series, developed by Sheffield-based English developers Gremlin Graphics.[4]
History
1980s
Kemco was founded in 1984 as Kotobuki System Co., Ltd. to be the video game subsidiary of the multifaceted corporation Kotobuki Engineering & Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (itself established in 1979).[5][6][7] The Kemco name represents the initial letters of Kotobuki Engineering Manufacturing Co.[5]
Kemco started by developing video games for the Nintendo Entertainment System.[5][7] Although technically called Kotobuki System until 2004, the company was already using the brand Kemco on its first game Dough Boy in 1985.[8]
In the late 1980s until the early 1990s, Kemco's video games were distributed in North America by Seika Corporation of Torrance, California under the joint label of Kemco * Seika.[9]
1990s
In the 1990s, Kemco developed and published video games for an array of platforms including the Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy.[10] During this decade, the company had its first North American subsidiary, Kemco America, which operated from October 2, 1991 to January 24, 2000.[11]
2000s
In 2001, Kemco USA was founded as a wholly owned subsidiary of Kemco of Japan, especially targeting the American market.[7]
In 2004, Kotobuki's system development division split to become the company Kotobuki Solution Co., Ltd., keeping the Kemco video game brand in the spinoff.[5][3]
2010s
In the 2010s, Kemco is primarily known for its mobile games.[12] Kemco USA closed in 2007, but products continue to be released in North America through Kemco of Japan.[13][14]
See also
References
- ^ https://www.ksol.jp/company/
- ^ "About - KEMCO". www.kemco-games.com.
- ^ a b "「鉄人28号」が軽快アクションゲームになった！！". www.ksol.jp.
- ^ "Electronic Entertainment Expo 2003 Exhibitor Profiles".
- ^ a b c d "ケムコって、ファミコン時代のメーカーでしょ？ ざんねん!! ケムコの ぼうけんは モバイルアプリしじょうで つづいていた!!".
- ^ "COMPANY HISTORY : COMPANY INFORMATION : KOTOBUKI ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING Co.,Ltd". www.kemco.co.jp.
- ^ a b c "Kemco Games". 12 August 2003.
- ^ "Dough Boy Box Shot for NES - GameFAQs". www.gamefaqs.com.
- ^ "Uninvited" (PDF). thevgatv.com.
- ^ "Kemco Games - IGN". 2 October 2015.
- ^ "Washington Company List". Washington Companies Directory.
- ^ Sheffield, Brandon. "Interview: Valcon's Gordon On Why Game Boxes Matter, And 'Odd' Japanese Titles".
- ^ "Washington Company List". Washington Companies Directory.
- ^ "Contact us - KEMCO". www.kemco-games.com.