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.
