Yuke's Co. Ltd.
TypeKabushiki gaisha
IndustryVideo games
Founded26 February 1993 (1993-02-26)
FounderYukinori Taniguchi
Headquarters
Osaka
,
Japan
ProductsWWE 2K series (2000–2018)[1]
Number of employees
188 (January 2023[2])
Websitewww.yukes.co.jp/en/

Yuke's Co. Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer based in Osaka. It was established on 26 February 1993 by Yukinori Taniguchi. The company is best known for developing the WWE video game series, based on the professional wrestling promotion of the same name, until 2018.

History

Founded in 1993, Yuke's was named after founder Yukinori Taniguchi's high school nickname. The first two games that the company developed were the platform game Hermie Hopperhead and the pro wrestling game Toukon Retsuden.[3] The latter title was a best-seller in Japan.[4] Though Activision purchased the rights to publish the game in North America and began localization work,[4] only the first game was localized, becoming Power Move Pro Wrestling with a different roster of wrestlers.

Beginning in 2000, Yuke's began to develop wrestling games for THQ based on the World Wrestling Federation (WWF; now WWE). They were recommended to THQ by Aki, who had developed their own line of wrestling games.[3]

From 2005 to 2012, Yuke's owned 54% of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the top professional wrestling promotion in Japan.[5][6][7]

In August 2019, then-series publisher 2K Games announced it had moved WWE game development to California-based studio Visual Concepts.[8] Earlier that year, Yuke's had revealed its frustration over what it had been able to achieve with recent WWE 2K games and suggested that its relationship with publisher 2K Sports was partly responsible. Producer Hiromi Furuta revealed that Yuke's had established a new development team tasked with creating a rival wrestling IP, with the intention of reinvigorating its staff.[9] On November 10, 2020, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) announced an upcoming console game developed by Yuke's, led by Def Jam Vendetta and WWF No Mercy director, Hideyuki "Geta" Iwashita.[10]

Games developed

These are the list of games that the company developed.[11]

YearTitlePublisher(s)Platform(s)
1995New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon RetsudenTomyPlayStation
1995Hermie Hopperhead: Scrap PanicSCEI
1996New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden 2Tomy
1997Ucchannanchan no Honō no Challenger: Denryū Iraira BōHudson SoftNintendo 64
1998New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Fighting Spirit Blazing Road BRAVE SPIRITS
1998New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden 3TomyPlayStation
1998SoukaigiSquareSoft
1998Shin Nippon Pro Wrestling: Fighting Spirit Blazing Guidance 2 - The Next GenerationHudsonNintendo 64
1999Evil ZoneTitus SoftwarePlayStation
1999Last Legion UXHudsonNintendo 64
1999New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden 4TomyDreamcast
1999Sword of the Berserk: Guts' RageASCII Corporation
2000WWF SmackDown!THQPlayStation
2000WWF Royal RumbleArcade, Dreamcast
2000WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your RolePlayStation
2000The Pro Wrestling 2D3 Publisher
2001WWF SmackDown! Just Bring ItTHQPlayStation 2
2002EOE: Eve of ExtinctionEidos Interactive
2002Edit RacingD3 Publisher
2002WWE WrestleMania X8THQGameCube
2002WWE SmackDown! Shut Your MouthPlayStation 2
2003WWE WrestleMania XIXGameCube
2003WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the PainPlayStation 2
2004Online Pro WrestlingYuke's
2004WWE Day of ReckoningTHQGameCube
2004Berserk: Millennium Falcon Hen Seima Senki no ShōSammy CorporationPlayStation 2
2004WWE SmackDown! vs. RawTHQ
2004Rumble RosesKonami
2005D1 Grand PrixYuke's
2005WWE Day of Reckoning 2THQGameCube
2005D1 Grand Prix 2005Yuke'sPlayStation 2
2005WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006THQPlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
2005Wrestle KingdomYuke'sPlayStation 2, Xbox 360
2006The Dog: Happy LifePlayStation Portable
2006WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007THQPlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360
2007The Dog IslandUbisoftPlayStation 2, Wii
2007Wrestle Kingdom 2Yuke'sPlayStation 2
2007Go! Sports SkiSCEIPlayStation 3
2007NevesAtlusNintendo DS
2007WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008THQPlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360
2007Petz: Dogz 2 and Catz 2UbisoftPlayStation 2, Wii
2007Soukou Kihei VotomsBandai Namco EntertainmentPlayStation 2
2008Double D DodgeballYuke'sXbox 360
2008Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Gundam MeistersBandai Namco EntertainmentPlayStation 2
2008Neverland Card BattlesIdea FactoryPlayStation Portable
2008WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009THQPlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360
2009WWE Legends of WrestleManiaPlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS
2009UFC 2009 UndisputedPlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2009WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360
2010UFC Undisputed 2010PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360
2010WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360
2011Real SteelYuke'sPlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2011WWE '12THQPlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
2012UFC Undisputed 3PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2012WWE '13PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
2013Pacific RimYuke'sXbox 360, PlayStation 3
2013WWE 2K142K SportsPlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2014WWE 2K15Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
2015WWE 2K16Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
2016WWE 2K17
2017WWE 2K18Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
2018WWE 2K19Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
2019Earth Defense Force: Iron RainD3 PublisherMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 4
2020Earth Defense Force: World BrothersMicrosoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
2023AEW Fight ForeverTHQ NordicNintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

References

  1. ↑ Andy Robinson (6 August 2019). "2K splits with veteran WWE studio Yuke's". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-08-06.
  2. ↑ "Company Profile".
  3. 1 2 Ekberg, Brian (November 11, 2005). "Yukes Behind the Scenes". GameSpot. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Buyers Beware". GamePro. No. 98. IDG. November 1996. p. 24.
  5. ↑ "Yuke's Media Creations". Archived from the original on October 27, 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-10.. uk.games.ign.com
  6. ↑ Yuke's Buys Controlling Share of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Gamasutra.com (November 15, 2005). Retrieved on May 10, 2014.
  7. ↑ Caldwell, James (January 31, 2012). "NJPW News: New Japan sold to new owners, change-over taking effect February 1". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved January 31, 2012.
  8. ↑ Robinson, Andy (August 6, 2019). "2K splits with veteran WWE studio Yukes". Video Games Chronicle.
  9. ↑ Robinson, Andy (May 13, 2019). "WWE 2K studio creating rival wrestling IP". Video Games Chronicle.
  10. ↑ Walker, Ian (November 10, 2020). "Three All Elite Wrestling Games In Development". Kotaku. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Game RELEASES". TUKE'S Co., Ltd. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
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