SNK Corporation

Jul, 1978:

• Company founded by Eikichi Kawasaki in Osaka, Japan.

1979:

• SNK's first game, Ozama Wars is released in arcades.

1989:

• The release of the NeoGeo MVS (Multi-Video System) which allowed arcade operators to display one, two, four, or six separate games in a single cabinet.

1991:

• The release of the NeoGeo AES (Advanced Entertainment System); a home version of the NeoGeo MVS.

1994:

• The company drops its pit bull mascot, which it has used in many of its ads and had become a cult figure, when a new outside PR firm is chosen.

Sep 09, 1994:

• The company launches the NeoGeo CD console in Japan and sells the entire first run of 25,000 units on a single day.

1995:

• The company releases a new version of the NeoGeo CD with faster cache RAM to solve the problem of lengthy load times. The console is called NeoGeo CDZ.

1996:

• The company acquires Nazca Corporation, the developer of the first Metal Slug game.

1999:

• Later in 1999, the company shuts down its hardware manufacturing facilities and closes down its chain of NeoGeo World amusement centers.
• The company launches the NeoGeo Pocket Color handheld in Japan, in the spring of 1999.

2000:

• The company collapses and its properties are scattered out amongst several other entities, from Korean-based Eolith and Mega Enterprises to Japan-based Noise Factory.
• Aruze does little to support SNK's video game business, so the original founder Eikichi Kawasaki leaves the company, along with other executives, to found the entertainment company Brezzasoft.

Jan, 2000:

• Aruze, a producer of Pachinko machines, acquires SNK Corporation, its intellectual property and its related companies to develop Pachi-Slot machines based upon popular SNK franchises.

Oct 22, 2001:

• After filing for bankruptcy and selling the intellectual property rights for most of the SNK franchises to BrezzaSoft, SNK Corporation officially ceases to be.

2002:

• Eikichi Kawasaki founds a new holding company by the name of Playmore and reacquires SNK's property.

Jul 07, 2003:

• Eikichi Kawasaki finally reacquires the name "SNK" and the company name is then changed from Playmore Corp. to SNK Playmore Corp..