Namco

Namco Limited (株式会社ナムコ, Kabushiki Gaisha Namuko) (commonly referred to as Namco) is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Bandai Namco Games on March 31, 2006, now known as Bandai Namco Entertainment. Namco was re-established to continue domestic operation of video arcades and amusement parks. Its headquarters are located in Ōta, Tokyo. The company's English name is often officially written as NAMCO (in all capital letters).

Namco was a front-runner during the golden age of arcade video games. Pac-Man, arguably their most famous title, went on to become the best-selling arcade game in history and an international popular culture icon. They are also known for creating successful franchises such as Galaxian, Ridge Racer, Ace Combat, Tekken, as well as the Soul and Tales series.

History

Masaya Nakamura founded the company as Nakamura Manufacturing in 1955. Based in Tokyo, the company started out by running children's rides on the roof of a department store in Yokohama. The business eventually expanded throughout the Tokyo area. Nakamura Manufacturing was reorganized in 1958 and later underwent a name change to Nakamura Amusement Machine Manufacturing Company, which would be used to form the acronym "NAMCO." In 1970, the company produced a coin-operated mechanical driving simulator called "Racer."

Namco, Tibet

Namco is a town and township in Damxung County in the Lhasa Prefecture of Tibet. It means something like "Heaven Lake". It was established in 1960 and became a township in 1970. Is located in the north of Damxung county. The economy is based on animal husbandry, mainly shepherding goats, sheep, cattle, horses etc.

References

Coordinates: 30°55′N 91°07′E / 30.917°N 91.117°E / 30.917; 91.117

Namco (automobiles)

NAMCO (National Motor Company of Greece) is a Greek vehicle manufacturer. It was founded in 1972 by brothers Petros Tzannetos Kontogouris and Rodolfos Kontogouris.

History

The first efforts of the Kontogouris brothers involved attempts to build a light truck called Hellas in Germany. In 1957, they acquired rights to a production technology of a multi-purpose vehicle developed by Swiss engineer Dr. Wilfried Fahr. In 1961, Kontogouris created their first company (FARCO) in Thessaloniki, Greece, to produce the vehicle, called FARMOBIL, with BMW 700 flat-2 engine. Ironically, this smart vehicle was not certified for the Greek market and all production was exported to several countries around the world. In 1963, the company was acquired by Chrysler and renamed it Chrysler Hellas S.A. In 1967, production in Greece was stopped by the American company, and was transferred to other countries. Meanwhile, in 1961 ambitious plans were made by the Kontogouris Brothers for a new company (to be called NAMCO) with a new factory in Patras, Greece to produce under licence a German-designed (Neckar) three-wheeler truck and other vehicles, but were not materialized.