SNK Corporation

SNK Corporation (株式会社 SNK Kabushikigaisha Esu Enu Kei) is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. It founded in Suita, Osaka, Japan in 1978 by Eikichi Kawasaki. Originally called Shin Nihon Kikaku (新日本企画 "New Japan Project"), the name was shortened to SNK Corporation in 1986.

SNK is most notable for creating the NEO•GEO family of arcade and home game consoles beginning in 1990. The NEO•GEO line was halted in 2001 when financial troubles forced SNK Corporation to close. Anticipating the end of the company, Kawasaki founded Playmore Corporation in August 2001. By October, Playmore had acquired all of the intellectual property of the former SNK Corporation. Playmore then became SNK Playmore in 2003 and firmly established themselves as the successors to the SNK brand and legacy. For this reason, the name SNK is frequently used to refer to either company.

SNK operates primarily as a third-party computer video game developer and publisher on all major platforms including arcade and PC. Outside of computer and video gaming, SNK has also expanded into pachinko and slot machines since 2004 and mobile game development beginning in 2009.

Eikichi Kawasaki (川崎 英吉, Kawasaki Eikichi, born sometime in 1944) aka "E. Kawasaki" is a Japanese game director, producer, planner, designer, and founder of the original SNK. He stayed with the company until its bankruptcy, then creating the Playmore group to compensate. After he won several lawsuits from SNK's former partner, Aruze, Kawasaki resurrected the company to SNK Playmore.

In 1990, SNK released the NEO•GEO AES console and NEO•GEO MVS arcade system board for the third generation in the field of the gaming industry.

In 1994, SNK released the NEO•GEO CD console for the Fourth generation of the gaming industry.

In 1997, SNK released Hyper NEO•GEO 64 Arcade system boards, as the successor of the NEO•GEO MVS.

The unreleased SNK NEO•STAR 32-bit console is a prototype and a successor for the NEO•GEO CD. It includes a wireless controller along with a headphone jack. A cartridge slot and a CD drive that has the ability to run movies.

In 1998, SNK released the NEO•GEO Pocket a handheld video game console for the Fifth generation era of the gaming industry.

In 1999, SNK released the NEO•GEO Pocket Color a 16-bit color handheld video game console.

The unreleased SNK Millennium 128-bit console is a prototype game console targeted for the sixth generation in the gaming industry.

256-bit SNK Playmore console hints for the seventh generation in the gaming industry.

In 2012, SNK Playmore revived NEO•GEO AES with the launch of the NEO•GEO X handheld console.

In 2018, SNK released the NEO•GEO Mini. Based on the design of the arcade cabinet featuring a 3.5 inch display.

In 2019, SNK released the NEO•GEO Arcade Stick Pro. A home Arcade console.

In 2020, SNK released the NEO•GEO MVSX. a Home Arcade Combo that comes with MVSX Home Arcade Machine and MVSX Arcade Base. Comes both MVS and AES modes supported.