SNK started as Shin Nihon Kikaku—“New Japan Project”—and became a stock company on July 22, 1978 under Eikichi Kawasaki. The initials SNK stuck from 1981; the legal English name became SNK Corporation in 1986. Early coin-ops included Ozma Wars and Vanguard. Ikari Warriors (1986) was the breakout, ported across home machines while the company also licensed the Famicom.
Arcades were the point. In 1990 the Neo Geo MVS put several cartridge games in one cabinet. The home AES followed at a luxury price and the same boards. From that hardware came Fatal Fury, Art of Fighting, Samurai Shodown, The King of Fighters, and Metal Slug. SNK later added the Neo Geo CD, the 3D Hyper Neo Geo 64, and the Neo Geo Pocket / Pocket Color (1998–1999).
The 2D boom ended, the CD and 64-bit boards missed, and Aruze bought a failing SNK in 2000. Western offices closed that June. The original company was declared bankrupt on October 30, 2001. Kawasaki’s Playmore, founded August 1, 2001, won the IP at auction, became SNK Playmore in 2003, and dropped “Playmore” in 2016.
Chinese investor Leyou took a controlling stake in 2015 and pushed the firm back toward consoles and character licensing. Since 2022 parent Electronic Gaming Development Company—under Saudi Arabia’s MiSK Foundation—has owned nearly all of the shares. Headquarters moved to Yodogawa-ku, Osaka in 2023. New King of Fighters and Metal Slug games, plus the Neo Geo Mini, keep the old slogan in use: The Future Is Now.
SNK Corporate Snapshot
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | July 22, 1978 (as Shin Nihon Kikaku); Playmore on August 1, 2001 |
| Founder | Eikichi Kawasaki |
| Headquarters | Yodogawa-ku, Osaka (from 2023; earlier Suita) |
| Signature platforms | Neo Geo MVS / AES / CD; Neo Geo Pocket / Color; Neo Geo Mini |
| Signature IP | The King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Samurai Shodown, Metal Slug, Art of Fighting |
| Bankruptcy | Original SNK, October 30, 2001 |
| Current status | Subsidiary of Electronic Gaming Development Company (MiSK Foundation) |