, was a Japanese

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

corporation founded in 1967. It had its headquarters in

Kudankita is a district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, consisting of four '' chōme''. It was a part of the former ward of Kōjimachi. As of March 1, 2007, its population is 1,404. Kudankita is a luxury and prestigious residential and business zone. The Yas ...

, Chiyoda,

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

. Its subsidiary, Tecmo Inc, was located in

Torrance, California Torrance is a city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area located in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is part of what is known as the South Bay (Los Angeles County), South Bay region of the m ...

. Tecmo was formerly known as Tehkan. Tecmo is known for the ''

Captain Tsubasa is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yōichi Takahashi. The series mainly revolves around the sport of association football focusing on Tsubasa Oozora and his relationship with his friends, rivalries with h ...

'', '' Dead or Alive'', ''

Deception Deception or falsehood is an act or statement that misleads, hides the truth, or promotes a belief, concept, or idea that is not true. It is often done for personal gain or advantage. Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda and sleight o ...

'', ''

Fatal Frame ''Fatal Frame'', titled in Japan and ''Project Zero'' in Europe and Australia, is a Japanese survival horror video game series created, published and developed by Koei Tecmo (originally Tecmo). Debuting in 2001 with the first entry in the seri ...

'', ''

Gallop Racer is a series of horse racing video games, created by Tecmo. Overview ''Gallop Racer'' is an open-ended racing game in which the player purchases horses to train, race and breed. Most games in the series involve management of horses, with the ex ...

'', ''

Monster Rancher ''Monster Rancher'', known in Japan as , is a Japanese media franchise and series of life simulation role-playing video games created by Tecmo (now Koei Tecmo). The series consists of fifteen games across numerous different video game platforms, a ...

'', ''

Ninja Gaiden is a series of action video games by Tecmo featuring the ninja Ryu Hayabusa as its protagonist. The series was originally known as in Japan. The word "gaiden" in the North American ''Ninja Gaiden'' title means "side story" in Japanese. The o ...

'', ''

Rygar ''Rygar'' is a video game created by Tecmo in 1986 and originally released for arcades in Japan as . It is a side-scrolling platform game where the player assumes the role as the "Legendary Warrior", battling through a hostile landscape. The ...

'', ''

Star Force also released in arcades outside of Japan as ''Mega Force'', is a vertical-scrolling shooter computer game released in 1984 by Tehkan. Gameplay In the game, the player pilots a starship called the ''Final Star'', while shooting various enemie ...

'' and ''

Tecmo Bowl is an American football video game developed and released by Tecmo. Originally released as an arcade game in 1987, the game features a large dual screen cabinet with up to four players between two fictitious teams. A port for the Nintendo Entert ...

'' video game series. When it was still called Tehkan, the company released arcade games such as ''

Bomb Jack ''Bomb Jack'' is a platform video game developed and published by Tehkan for arcades in and later ported to various home systems. The game was a commercial success for arcades and home computers. It was followed by several sequels: the console a ...

'', ''

Gridiron Fight is an List of American football video games, American football video game developed and released by Tehkan (later known as Tecmo) for Arcade game, arcades in 1985. It is a one or two player game based on gridiron football (American football), and ...

'' and ''

Tehkan World Cup originally released as in Japan, is an association football video game released to arcades in 1985 by Tehkan, the former name of Tecmo. It features multiplayer gameplay and trackball controllers. It was released in both upright and table arca ...

''. The company was founded on July 31, 1967 as a supplier of cleaning equipment. By 1969, it started to sell amusement equipment. In 2009, Tecmo merged with

Koei Koei Co., Ltd. was a Japanese video game publisher, developer, and distributor founded in 1978. The company is known for its ''Dynasty Warriors'' games based on the novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', as well as simulation games based on p ...

to form the

holding company A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...

Tecmo Koei Holdings is a Japanese video game, amusement and anime holding company created in 2009 in video gaming, 2009 by the merger of Koei and Tecmo. Koei Tecmo Holdings owns several companies, the biggest one of those being its flagship game developer and publi ...

and was operated as a subsidiary until its disbandment in early 2010. In April 2010, Tecmo was dissolved and its video game franchises are now published by

Koei Tecmo Games is a Japanese video game, amusement and anime holding company created in 2009 by the merger of Koei and Tecmo. Koei Tecmo Holdings owns several companies, the biggest one of those being its flagship game developer and publisher Koei Tecmo Games ...

. Tecmo is also the name of a distinct

video game development Video game development (or gamedev) is the process of developing a video game. The effort is undertaken by a developer, ranging from a single person to an international team dispersed across the globe. Development of traditional commercial PC a ...

company that was established in March 2010, but later folded into Koei Tecmo Games in April 2011.

History

Early history

Tecmo Co., Ltd, which merged with Koei in 2009, was itself the combination of two companies: Imperial Trustee Corporation (founded in 1964) and Nippon Yacht Co, Ltd (founded in 1967).

Imperial Trustee Corporation

The origins of Tecmo dates to September 1964 as the Imperial Trustee Corporation, a company specialized in the management of building maintenance including the supplying of cleaning equipment. In July 1969, the company started to sell entertainment amusement equipment and opened its first self-managed amusement facility in March 1970 in

Chiba Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama Prefecture to the ...

. In October 1977, the Imperial Trustee Corporation was renamed "Tehkan Ltd", with the trade name changed as well to "Tehkan". Tehkan is derived from the name "Teikoku Kanza". In March 1981, a U.S. division was inaugurated in Los Angeles as "U.S. Tehkan, Inc.". A month later, in April 1981, Tehkan released in Japan its first internally developed arcade video game, titled "''

Pleiads is a fixed shooter arcade game released in 1981 by Tehkan (now Tecmo) and licensed to Centuri. The name is shown on the title screen as ''Pleiads''. The title comes from the mythical Greek Pleiades, the seven daughters of the titan Atlas. Game ...

''" (which was distributed in America by

Centuri Centuri, formerly known as Allied Leisure, was an American arcade game manufacturer. They were based in Hialeah, Florida, and were one of the top six suppliers of coin-operated arcade video game machinery in the United States during the early 19 ...

). On January 8, 1986, Tehkan Ltd officially changed its name to Tecmo Co, Ltd. Tecmo's first internally developed home video game '' Mighty Bomb Jack'' was released for the

Family Computer The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit Third generation of video game consoles, third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redes ...

in April 1986.

Nippon Yacht Co, Ltd

On July 31, 1967, the Nippon Yacht Corporation was established to handle the real estate of ships. On December 6, 1982, Nippon Yacht Co, Ltd was renamed "Tehkan Electronics Corporation".

Merger of Tecmo and Tehkan Electronics Corporation. Focus on console video games

On April 1, 1987, Tecmo Co., Ltd merged with its sister company Tehkan Electronics Corporation. The former's name was retained for the merger but the latter was the actual surviving company. By the turn of the decade, Tecmo was firmly in the camp of

video game consoles A video game console is an electronic device that outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home consoles, which are generally placed in a permanent location connected to a t ...

. Though still involved in the arcade industry, much of the success was achieved on the

Nintendo Entertainment System The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...

with titles such as ''

'', ''

'' and the Japan-only '' Tsuppari Ōzumō''. When

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

released its

PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...

in the 1990s, Tecmo joined the endeavor which set the tone for series such as '' Dead or Alive'', ''

'', ''

'' and ''

''. In January 2006, Junji Nakamura resigns as president of Tecmo, while Yoshimi Yasuda was named his successor. On July 18, 2006, Tecmo's founder and chairman Yoshihito Kakihara died of

interstitial pneumonia Interstitial lung disease (ILD), or diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD), is a group of respiratory diseases affecting the interstitium (the tissue and space around the alveoli (air sacs)) of the lungs. It concerns alveolar epithelium, pulmona ...

at the age of 67. Tecmo entered the second section of

Tokyo Stock Exchange The , abbreviated as Tosho () or TSE/TYO, is a stock exchange located in Tokyo, Japan. It is the third largest stock exchange in the world by aggregate market capitalization of its listed companies, and the largest in Asia. It had 2,292 listed co ...

in March 2000 and transitioned to the first section in March 2001. It delisted on March 26, 2009 right before the merger with

took effect.

Lawsuit

On the June 3, 2008 Team Ninja head

Tomonobu Itagaki (born April 1, 1967) is a Japanese video game designer best known for creating the '' Dead or Alive'' series and also reviving the ''Ninja Gaiden'' franchise in 2004. Joining Tecmo in 1992, Itagaki produced two video game franchises that were com ...

resigned from the company and filed a 145 million yen ($1.4 million) lawsuit against Tecmo president, Yoshimi Yasuda, for "unpaid completion bonuses" and "emotional distress". This was followed by another lawsuit filed on the 16th of June by two plaintiffs on behalf of Tecmo's 300 employees for unpaid wages amounting to ¥8.3 million.

Merger with Koei

On August 29, 2008

Square Enix is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational holding company, production enterprise and entertainment conglomerate, best known for its ''Final Fantasy'', ''Dragon Quest'', ''Star Ocean'' and ''Kingdom Hearts'' role-playing video game ...

made plans for a friendly takeover of Tecmo by purchasing shares at a 30 percent premium with a total bid of ¥22.3 billion. On September 4, 2008 Tecmo officially declined the takeover proposal. Tecmo subsequently engaged in talks with

about a possible merger between the two companies, and agreed in November 2008 to merge on April 1, 2009 to form

Tecmo Koei is a Japanese video game, amusement and anime holding company created in 2009 by the merger of Koei and Tecmo. Koei Tecmo Holdings owns several companies, the biggest one of those being its flagship game developer and publisher Koei Tecmo Games ...

Holdings. On January 26, 2009 the two companies officially announced the merger, and the holding company formed on April 1, 2009 as planned. Tecmo initially continued to be operated as a subsidiary and brandname of Tecmo Koei Holdings. In January 2010, the United States subsidiaries of Tecmo Inc. and Koei America merged to create Tecmo Koei America Corporation. Tecmo was effectively declared disbanded in Japan on April 1, 2010, as part of a major international reorganization within Tecmo Koei Holdings. Relevant intellectual properties were slated to be further managed by Koei Tecmo Games. On March 15, 2010, and roughly two weeks before Tecmo was dissolved, its internal development studio was spun off as a separate company under the name of "Tecmo Co, Ltd.", a wholly owned subsidiary of Koei Tecmo Games. This new company was initially called "Tehkan" to avoid confusion with the other company that was still operating for another two weeks. When Tecmo disbanded on April 1, 2010, Tekhan was renamed Tecmo. This was short-lived as the new Tecmo along with the new Koei video game developers were both dissolved and merged into Koei Tecmo Games a year later, on April 1, 2011. Despite having been dissolved twice as a legal entity, Tecmo continued to appear as a label on video games by Koei Tecmo Games until another corporate reorganization in 2016 abandoned the brand name for good. Video games by Koei Tecmo Games marketed with the Tecmo logotype included ''

Dead or Alive 5 is a 2012 fighting video game developed by Team Ninja and published by Tecmo Koei for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the fifth main entry in the '' Dead or Alive'' fighting series and the first to have a multi-platform release since '' Dea ...

'', '' Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge'' and '' Deception IV: The Nightmare Princess''.

Subsidiaries

Team Ninja is a Japanese video game developer, and a division of Koei Tecmo, founded in 1995 as a part of Tecmo. It is founded and formerly led by Tomonobu Itagaki, later by Yosuke Hayashi, and is best known for the ''Ninja Gaiden'' action-adventure game ...

, started in 1995. *

Team Tachyon is a Japanese video game, amusement and anime holding company created in 2009 by the merger of Koei and Tecmo. Koei Tecmo Holdings owns several companies, the biggest one of those being its flagship game developer and publisher Koei Tecmo Games ...

, started in 2007.

Games

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Koei Tecmo Amusement companies of Japan Software companies based in Tokyo Video game companies established in 1967 Video game companies disestablished in 2010 Defunct video game companies of Japan Video game publishers Japanese companies established in 1967 Japanese companies disestablished in 2010 pt:Koei Tecmo Holdings#Tecmo