Company:2K Games

From HandWiki
2K Games, Inc.
2K
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo game industry
FoundedJanuary 25, 2005; 19 years ago (2005-01-25) in New York City , New York, U.S.
Founders
  • Christoph Hartmann
  • David Ismailer
  • Jason Argent
  • Greg Thomas
Headquarters
Novato, California
,
Key people
ParentTake-Two Interactive
Divisions
SubsidiariesList of studios
Website2k.com

2K Games, Inc. (commonly referred to as 2K) is an American video game publisher based in Novato, California. The company and its 2K Sports division were founded in January 2005 by Christoph Hartmann, David Ismailer, Jason Argent and Greg Thomas, as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive. 2K is Take-Two Interactive's second publishing label, after Rockstar Games, and houses all of Take-Two Interactive's development studios, apart from Social Point and those suborganized under Rockstar Games.

History

On January 24, 2005, Take-Two Interactive acquired Visual Concepts and its Kush Games subsidiary, as well as the intellectual property of the 2K sports game series, from Sega for US$24 million.[1][2] The following day, Take-Two Interactive announced that they had established 2K Games, making use of the 2K trademark for the name of the new publishing label.[3] 2K Sports, a division dedicated to 2K Games' sports titles, was established alongside.[4] The new company would from then on manage Take-Two Interactive's development studios, Visual Concepts, Kush Games, Indie Built, Venom Games, PopTop Software and Frog City Software, which were split between 2K Games and 2K Sports depending on the developer's primary genre.[5]

In a five-alarm fire on January 21, 2006, the administrative and marketing portion of 2K Games' offices was heavily damaged.[6] On June 15, 2007, 2K Games announced that they had closed their offices in New York City and would move to a new location on the West Coast, namely Novato, California, together with 2K Sports.[7] On September 10, 2007, Take-Two Interactive announced that they had struck a partnership with Nickelodeon on publishing games based on their licenses.[8] As a result of the agreement, Take-Two Interactive opened 2K Play as a new division of 2K Games.[9] 2K Play would henceforth focus on family-friendly titles.[10]

On May 4, 2017, 2K Games co-founder and until-then President, Christoph Hartmann, announced that he had stepped down from his position.[11] Hartman previously worked for Take-Two Interactive for roughly 20 years, but did not state a reason for his departure.[12][13] He joined Amazon Game Studios in August 2018.[14] 2K Games' chief operating officer, David Ismailer, succeeded Hartmann as President on May 31, 2017.[15][16]

On September 25, 2018, 2K Games announced 2K Foundations, which will "support underserved communities across the nation by refurbishing basketball courts in neighborhoods that need them the most". Microsoft will also be partnering with 2K Games to establish Xbox One S gaming stations at these courts. 2K Foundations plans to refurbish 12 basketball courts in multiple cities across the United States , including Cincinnati, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Cleveland within its first year.[17]

Studios

Current

  • 2K Chengdu in Chengdu, China ; founded in June 2011.
  • 2K Marin in Novato, California; founded in 2007.[18]
  • 2K Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.; founded in 2006 as 2K West, renamed in April 2013.[19]
  • Firaxis Games in Hunt Valley, Maryland, U.S.; founded in May 1996, acquired in November 2005.[20]
  • Hangar 13 in Novato, California; founded in December 2014.[21]

Defunct

Programs and initiatives

  • 2K Foundations (2018-present)
    • 2K Foundations Baltimore
    • 2K Foundations Cincinnati

Games published

References

  1. Feldman, Curt (January 24, 2005). "Sega officially out of the sports game". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sega-officially-out-of-the-sports-game/1100-6117016/. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  2. Adams, David (January 24, 2005). "Take Two Buys Visual Concepts". http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/01/25/take-two-buys-visual-concepts. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  3. Robinson, Jon (January 25, 2005). "Take-Two Opens 2K Games". http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/01/25/take-two-opens-2k-games. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  4. Winegarner, Beth (January 25, 2005). "Take-Two pitches new label; sports high on the agenda". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/take-two-pitches-new-label-sports-high-on-the-agenda/1100-6117027/. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  5. Jenkins, David (January 25, 2005). "Take-Two Acquires Visual Concepts, Announces 2K Games Brand". https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/95818/TakeTwo_Acquires_Visual_Concepts_Announces_2K_Games_Brand.php. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  6. Adams, David (January 23, 2006). "2K Games Office Damaged in Fire". http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/01/23/2k-games-office-damaged-in-fire. Retrieved February 15, 2018. 
  7. Nick Breckon (June 15, 2007). "2K Games Closes NYC Office, Heads West". http://www.shacknews.com/article/47449/2k-games-closes-nyc-office. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  8. Hatfield, Daemon (September 10, 2007). "Take-Two Plays with Nickelodeon". http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/09/10/take-two-plays-with-nickelodeon. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  9. Androvich, Mark (September 10, 2007). "Nickelodeon enters agreement with new 2K Play label". http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/nickelodeon-enters-agreement-with-new-2k-play-label. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  10. Kuchera, Ben (September 10, 2007). "Take-Two partners with Nickelodeon, launches casual game label 2K Play". https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2007/09/take-two-partners-with-nickelodeon-launches-casual-game-label-2k-play/. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  11. Shea, Brian (May 4, 2017). "President Of 2K Games Christoph Hartmann Leaves Company". http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/05/04/president-of-2k-games-leaves-company.aspx. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  12. Dring, Christopher (May 4, 2017). "2K president Christoph Hartmann departs". http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-05-04-2k-president-christoph-hartmann-departs. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  13. Dornbush, Jonathon (May 4, 2017). "2K Games President Christoph Hartmann Leaves Company". http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/05/04/2k-games-president-christoph-hartmann-leaves-company. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  14. https://venturebeat.com/2018/08/07/former-2k-president-christoph-hartmann-joins-amazon-game-studios-as-vice-president/
  15. Kerr, Chris (May 31, 2017). "Take-Two appoints David Ismailer as president of 2K Games". https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/299055/TakeTwo_appoints_David_Ismailer_as_president_of_2K_Games.php. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  16. Handrahan, Matthew (May 31, 2017). "David Ismailer steps in as new 2K president". http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-05-31-david-ismailer-steps-in-as-new-2k-president. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  17. http://ir.take2games.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=86428&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2368775
  18. Kohler, Christ (December 17, 2007). "Rumor Roundup: What's Up With 2K Marin And BioShock". https://www.wired.com/2007/12/rumor-roundup-w-2/. Retrieved February 24, 2018. 
  19. Curtis, Tom (November 1, 2012). "Take-Two moving QA studio to Las Vegas". https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/180765/TakeTwo_moving_QA_studio_to_Las_Vegas.php. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  20. Carless, Simon (November 7, 2005). "Take-Two Acquires Firaxis Games". https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/98052/TakeTwo_Acquires_Firaxis_Games.php. Retrieved February 11, 2018. 
  21. Schreier, Jason (April 13, 2018). "How The Makers Of Mafia III Lost Their Way". Kotaku. https://kotaku.com/how-the-makers-of-mafia-iii-lost-their-way-1825242177. Retrieved April 13, 2018. 
  22. Sarkar, Samit (April 15, 2015). "2K Australia is shutting down". https://www.polygon.com/2015/4/15/8425885/2k-australia-closing. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  23. Makuch, Eddie (November 6, 2015). "Borderlands Online Canceled, Developer Shuttered". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/borderlands-online-canceled-developer-shuttered/1100-6432074/. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  24. Pereira, Chris (February 23, 2017). "Former BioShock Studio Irrational Games Adopts A New Name". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/former-bioshock-studio-irrational-games-adopts-a-n/1100-6448166/. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  25. Thorsen, Tor (March 7, 2006). "PopTop folded into Firaxis?". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/poptop-folded-into-firaxis/1100-6145569/. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 
  26. Guest Contributor (July 2, 2008). "Venom Games to close?". https://www.mcvuk.com/development/venom-games-to-close. Retrieved February 3, 2018. 

External links