Konami
Notable Games
Company History
Konami Holdings Corporation was founded on March 21, 1969, in Osaka, Japan, by Kagemasa Kozuki as a jukebox rental and repair business. The name "Konami" derives from the names of three founding members: Kozuki, Nakama, and Miyasako.
Konami became one of gaming's most respected developers through the 1980s-2000s. Their contributions to gaming are immense: Gradius and its spin-off Parodius defined side-scrolling shooters; Castlevania created an enduring action-platformer legacy; Metal Gear Solid (directed by Hideo Kojima) revolutionized stealth gaming and cinematic storytelling; Silent Hill established psychological horror; and Pro Evolution Soccer/eFootball competed with FIFA for football gaming supremacy.
In recent years, Konami has shifted focus toward mobile gaming, pachinko machines, and health/fitness clubs, leading to publicized departures of key talent including Hideo Kojima in 2015. The company maintains its gaming division but at a much-reduced scale compared to its peak.
Behind the Scenes
Konami's golden era of development was characterized by giving auteur directors significant creative freedom. Hideo Kojima, who joined in 1986, was allowed to pursue his vision of cinematic gaming through increasingly ambitious Metal Gear titles. His philosophy of using games as a storytelling medium equal to film pushed the entire industry forward.
The Konami Code (Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A), first used in the NES port of Gradius (1986), became the most famous cheat code in gaming history. Originally added by developer Kazuhisa Hashimoto to make testing easier, it was left in the final game and became a cultural phenomenon.
Konami's music game division, particularly Bemani (Dance Dance Revolution, beatmania, Guitar Freaks), created an entirely new genre of rhythm gaming that influenced the music game boom of the 2000s.
Contra
• 1988
Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories
• 1999
Silent Hill
• 1999
Metal Gear Solid
• 1998
Winning Eleven 4
• 1999
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
• 1997
The Simpsons
• 1991
Contra III: The Alien Wars
• 1992
Pro Evolution Soccer 2
• 2002
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure
• 1993
X-Men
• 1992
Contra
• 1987
About Konami
Konami is an active game development company founded on March 21, 1969 and headquartered in .
Known for creating iconic titles such as Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania, Silent Hill and more, Konami has left an indelible mark on the video game industry.