Namco Limited

1955:

• Namco (then called Nakamura Manufacturing Ltd.) founded by Masaya Nakamura in Tokyo, Japan.

1972:

• The beginning of using "Namco" as a brand name.

1974:

• Enters the coin-operated video game market through aquisition of Atari (Japan) Corp. from Atari Corp. of the U.S.

1977:

• Changes name to Namco Limited.
• Established Namco Enterprises Asia Limited in Hong Kong.

1978:

• Established Namco America Incorporated in California, United States.

1991:

• Established Namco Europe Limited in London, United Kingdom.

1992:

• Established Brent Leisure Limited in London, United Kingdom as European manufacturing base and as U.K. distributor of Namco products.

1993:

• Aquires Alladin Castle, Inc. Thus making Namco the largest arcade operator in the United States.
• Established Shanghai Namco Limited in Shanghai, China - a joint venture with Shanghai Municipial Bureau of Culture, to produce and sell amusement machines and to operate amusement arcades.
• Established Namco Operations Europe Limited in London, United Kingdom.

1995:

• Established Namco Holding Corporation in the United States.

1996:

• Established Namco Ireland Limited in Ireland.

1997:

• Established Dream Pictures Studion Incorporated, a joint venture with Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. and Polygon Pictures, Inc., to produce digital contents for computer graphic-based films and entertainment software.

Jul 30, 2003:

• Namco acquires the rights to make games based on the films Escape from New York and its sequel Escape from L.A.

Mar 18, 2004:

• Namco announces that they have signed a publishing agreement with Flagship Studios.

Apr 01, 2005:

• Shigeichi Ishimura (age 51), formerly head of Namco's mobile division, is to become the company's new president. Koichi Tashiro will now move into Ishimura-san's former role.
  
  With the change, Namco's former president, Kyushiro Takagi (age 61), will step up to vice chairman of the company.

May 02, 2005:

• The company is acquired by Bandai Co. for about $1.7 billion. The merged companies will form Namco Bandai Holdings Inc., led by Bandai President Takeo Takasu and Namco Vice Chairman Kyushiro Takagi.