Native name
|
株式会社コーエー |
---|---|
Division | |
Industry | Video game industry |
Fate | Renamed "Tecmo Koei Games" in 2009 and "Koei Tecmo Games" in 2014. Brand name still in use |
Founded | July 25, 1978 |
Founder |
Yōichi Erikawa Keiko Erikawa |
Headquarters | Yokohama, Japan |
Products | List of Koei Tecmo games |
Parent | Koei Tecmo |
Website | www |
Koei Co., Ltd. is a Japanese video game publisher, developer, and distributor founded in 1978. The company is known for its historical simulation games based on the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, as well as simulation games based on pseudo-historical events.
The company has also found mainstream success in a series of loosely historical action games, the flagship titles of which are the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors series, also known as the Musou series. Koei also owned a division known as Ruby Party, which focused in dating sim games.
On April 1, 2009, Koei merged with Tecmo to form the Tecmo Koei Holdings holding company. Koei changed its name to Tecmo Koei Games on April 1, 2010 by absorbing Tecmo, and again on July 1, 2014 to Koei Tecmo Games. As of 2017, Koei Tecmo Games continues to use the Koei brand.
Koei was established in July 1978 by Yōichi Erikawa (also known as Kou Shibusawa) and Keiko Erikawa. Yoichi was a student at Keio University, and when his family's rural dyestuffs business failed he decided to pursue his interest in programming. The company to this day is located in the Hiyoshi area of Yokohama along with Erikawa's alma mater.
The company initially focused on personal computer sales and made-to-order business software. In 1983 it released Nobunaga's Ambition (信長の野望 Nobunaga no Yabō?), a historical strategy game set during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. The game went on to receive numerous awards, and Koei produced several more such games set against the backdrop of world history, including Romance of the Three Kingdoms, set during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history, and Uncharted Waters (大航海時代 Dai Kōkai Jidai?, lit. Great Navigation Era), set in Portugal during the Age of Exploration.