Kemco

1980s

Kemco was founded in 1984 as Kotobuki System Co., Ltd. to be the video game subsidiary of the multifaceted corporation Kotobuki Engineering & Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (itself established in 1979).^[4][5][6] The Kemco name represents the initial letters of Kotobuki Engineering Manufacturing Co.^[4]

Kemco started by developing video games for the Nintendo Entertainment System.^[4][6] Although technically called Kotobuki System until 2004, the company was already using the brand Kemco on its first game Dough Boy in 1985.^[7]

In the late 1980s until the early 1990s, Kemco's video games were distributed in North America by Seika Corporation of Torrance, California under the joint label of Kemco * Seika.^[8]

1990s

In the 1990s, Kemco developed and published video games for an array of platforms including the Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64 and Game Boy.^[9] During this decade, the company had its first North American subsidiary, Kemco America, which operated from October 2, 1991 to January 24, 2000.^[10]

2000s

In 2001, Kemco USA was founded as a wholly owned subsidiary of Kemco of Japan, especially targeting the American market.^[6]

In 2004, Kotobuki's system development division split to become the company Kotobuki Solution Co., Ltd., keeping the Kemco video game brand in the spinoff.^[4][2]

2010s

In the 2010s, Kemco is primarily known for its mobile games.^[11] Kemco USA closed in 2007, but products continue to be released in North America through Kemco of Japan.^[12][13]