Konami

Konami Holdings Corporation, commonly known simply as Konami, is a Japanese multinational entertainment company. It develops and publishes video games, operates arcade and gaming machines, and licenses trading-card properties. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Konami was founded in 1969 in Osaka as a jukebox rental and maintenance business. It expanded into video games in the 1970s and 1980s, becoming a major developer and publisher of arcade and console titles. Through the 1980s and 1990s, Konami released a number of influential franchises, including Metal Gear, Castlevania, Contra, and Silent Hill, and it produced the Pro Evolution Soccer series.

In 2005, Konami acquired Hudson Soft, expanding its game catalog and development capacity. The company also owns the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game and related media licenses, a significant merchandising and licensing property for Konami.

Beyond software, Konami operates amusement and gambling-related businesses, notably pachinko and pachislot machines, as well as arcade cabinets, in Japan and abroad. The corporate structure has evolved into a holding company model to manage its diverse business units.