Headquarters Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan Number of employees 150 (Natsume-Atari) | Founded 20 October 1987, Japan Type of business Private | |
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Industry Video game developer and publisher Key people Takashi Matsumoto (CEO, Natsume-Atari)
Hiro Maekawa (President, Natsume Inc)
Taka Maekawa (President, Natsume Inc Japan) Products Harvest Moon series
Lufia
Pocky and Rocky
Rune Factory
Reel Fishing
River King series Website www.natsume-game.com (Natsume-Atari)
www.natsume.com (Natsume Inc) Video games Harvest Moon, Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, Wild Guns, Harvest Moon: Back to N, Harvest Moon: Friends of Profiles | ||
Natsume company
Natsume is the name of two video games publishers, Natsume-Atari and Natsume Inc, that were once the same company but are now completely separated.
Contents
- Natsume company
- Products
- Corporate divisions
- Pre split Natsume
- Nintendo Entertainment System
- MSX
- Game Boy
- Super NES
- Sega Master System
- Natsume Atari Natsume Co Ltd
- Game Boy Color
- Game Boy Advance
- Nintendo DS
- Nintendo GameCube
- Xbox 360
- Natsume Inc
- Sega Saturn
- Nintendo 64
- PlayStation
- PlayStation 2
- iPhone and iPod Touch
- PlayStation Portable
- Wii
- PlayStation 3
- Nintendo 3DS
- Wii U
- References
Natsume Co Ltd was founded in Japan on October 20, 1987. It established in 1988 an American division called Natsume Inc. In 1995, Natsume Inc split from Natsume Co Ltd to become an independent company. The name "Natsume" was retained by both companies in their respective countries. In 2013, Natsume Co Ltd renamed itself Natsume-Atari following a merger with its subsidiary Atari that year. Also in 2013, Natsume Inc (the American company) inaugurated a Japanese division called Natsume Inc Japan with no connection to its former parent company.
Natsume-Atari is based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan and is known for developing licensed titles and mobile games. Natsume Inc is located in Burlingame, California. and is best known for publishing unique, family-oriented niche games, such as Harvest Moon and Reel Fishing.
Products
During the NES and SNES era, Natsume-Atari developed numerous titles, often licensed, such as Power Rangers. Natsume Inc published numerous titles, including those developed by Natsume-Atari, such as S.C.A.T., Wild Guns and Shadow of the Ninja. Natsume also released the SNES game Pocky & Rocky as well as Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals. Natsume-Atari had also developed the Medabot games up until the end of the GBA era, which Natsume Inc published.
From the end of the Super NES era up until late 2014, Natsume Inc was known for publishing a series of Story of Seasons games in North America. The last game in the series they published was Harvest Moon: A New Beginning for the Nintendo 3DS. In 2015 the developer of the series, Marvelous AQL, brought the next game in the series, Story of Seasons, to North America with their own US branch, XSEED Games, ending the relationship they had with Natsume. Since then, Natsume has released their own games under the Harvest Moon name, starting with Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, continuing with Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories and the upcoming Harvest Moon: Skytree Village.
Natsume has also operated an eBay shop, selling copies of older games sealed in their original packaging, collected from storage at its offices. At auction, the company sold a sealed copy of Pocky & Rocky for over $1,600.
Corporate divisions
Natsume Co Ltd was previously the parent company of Natsume Inc, founded in May 1988. Although founded in 1988, Natsume Inc started publishing video games in 1990 By 1995 Natsume Inc had broken away into its own company and is separately owned and operated.
In October 2002, Natsume Co Ltd founded the pachinko company Atari Inc. (not to be confused with the American game company) in Osaka, specialized on developing slot and pinball machines.
On May 6, 2005, Natsume Solution began operation in Shinjuku, Osaka. This division specializes on web site development, providing mobile solutions/services and developing web systems. On March 1, 2006, Natsume Solution was merged with Evolve co.,ltd.
Meanwhile, Natsume Inc opened up a development studio of their own, named Natsume Inc Japan
Natsume Co Ltd company is now known as Natsume-Atari since 2013, and is not directly connected to Natsume Inc USA or its subsidiary Natsume Inc Japan.
Pre-split Natsume
These are games produced while Natsume Inc., was still operating as a subsidiary of Natsume Co., Ltd. Natsume Inc. would publish only Natsume Co., Ltd games until becoming independent in the mid-90s.
Nintendo Entertainment System
Developer
Developer, JP Publisher
Developer, JP/US Publisher
MSX
Developer, JP Publisher
Game Boy
Developer, JP/US Publisher
Developer
Super NES
Developer, JP/US Publisher
Developer, US Publisher
Developer
Sega Master System
Developer
Natsume-Atari / Natsume Co., Ltd.
Natsume-Atari, formerly Natsume Co., Ltd, has mostly acted as a developer since splitting from Natsume Inc. - although it has also published some games, notably in the Medarot series.
Super NES
Developer
Game Boy
Game Boy Color
Developer
Game Boy Advance
Developer
Nintendo DS
Developer
Nintendo GameCube
Publisher
Xbox 360
Developer
Natsume Inc.
These are games published by Natsume Inc. and/or developed by its subsidiary in Japan after becoming independent from Natsume Co., Ltd.
Most of these games were only published by Natsume in North America, although some reached Europe under the Natsume name through distribution deals with European companies, and some digital releases were self-published by Natsume in Europe.
Super NES
Publisher
Sega Saturn
Publisher
Nintendo 64
Publisher
PlayStation
Publisher
NA Publisher
PlayStation 2
Publisher
Game Boy
Publisher
Game Boy Color
Developer/Publisher
Publisher
Game Boy Advance
Publisher
Nintendo DS
Publisher
Nintendo GameCube
Publisher
iPhone and iPod Touch
Developer/Publisher
Developer
PlayStation Portable
Publisher
Wii
Publisher
PlayStation 3
Publisher
Nintendo 3DS
Developer
Publisher
Wii U
Publisher