When was SNK founded and who started it?
SNK was founded in 1973 as Shin Nihon Kikaku by Eikichi Kawasaki. It was reorganized on the 22nd of July 1978 as a formal stock company before adopting the SNK trade name in April 1986.
Questions about SNK
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What was the SNK Neo Geo MVS and why was it significant?
The Neo Geo MVS (Multi Video System) was an arcade cabinet that could hold multiple games in a single unit using swappable cartridges, debuting in 1990. It was developed under Takashi Nishiyama and cut operators' costs dramatically; new cartridges cost around US$500, less than half the price of a traditional arcade unit.
How much did the Neo Geo AES home console cost at launch?
The Neo Geo AES launched at $599, bundled with two joystick controllers and either Baseball Stars Professional or NAM-1975. SNK raised the price to $649 within a few months of its North American introduction, with additional games costing at least $200 each.
Why did the original SNK Corporation go bankrupt?
SNK carried total debt of approximately 38 billion yen when it filed under Japan's Civil Rehabilitation Law with the Osaka District Court on the 2nd of April 2001. The company had failed to adapt as arcade revenues declined, its Hyper Neo Geo 64 hardware underperformed, and an amusement park venture in Tokyo was a costly failure. The court declared bankruptcy on the 30th of October 2001.
How did SNK come back after its 2001 bankruptcy?
Eikichi Kawasaki established Playmore Corporation on the 1st of August 2001, which won SNK's intellectual property in the bankruptcy auction. Playmore acquired former SNK developers through BrezzaSoft and Noise Factory, and renamed itself SNK Playmore Corporation in July 2003 after reacquiring the SNK trademark from Aruze.
Who owns SNK today?
SNK is owned by Electronic Gaming Development Company (EGDC), a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian MiSK Foundation. EGDC increased its ownership share to 96.18% in February 2022, and SNK subsequently delisted from the Korea Exchange.
What are SNK's most famous video game franchises?
SNK's best-known franchises include The King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Samurai Shodown, Art of Fighting, and Metal Slug. The King of Fighters series launched with The King of Fighters '94 in 1994, while Fatal Fury: King of Fighters in 1991 was the first of SNK's 2D fighting games on the Neo Geo.