is a Japanese video game developer and publisher based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, known for developing licensed titles and mobile games.
The company was founded as in 1987. In 1995, its American division Natsume Inc. split to become an independent company. The name "Natsume" was retained by both companies in their respective countries. In 2013, Natsume Co., Ltd. renamed itself Natsume Atari following a merger with its subsidiary Atari Inc. (a pachinko company, not to be confused with the American game company) that year. The company adopted its current name, , on January 1, 2026.
Products During the NES and SNES era, Natsume Co., Ltd developed numerous titles, often licensed, such as Power Rangers. Natsume Inc published a wide range of titles, including those developed by Natsume Co. Ltd., such as S.C.A.T., Wild Guns, Shadow of the Ninja and Pocky & Rocky. Natsume Co., Ltd also developed the Medarot games up until the end of the GBA era, and Natsume Inc. published some of them outside of Japan.
A sizeable amount of Natsume Co., Ltd products were video games it developed for other publishers. Some of its biggest clients over the years included Imagineer, Bandai, THQ and Taito. Most of Natsume's video games, as a sub-contractor, were original titles, but it occasionally developed some ports as well.
Corporate divisions
Natsume Co., Ltd. was founded in Japan on October 20, 1987. It became the parent company of Natsume Inc., founded in May 1988. Natsume Inc. started publishing video games in 1990. By 1995, Natsume Inc. had broken away into its own company and is separately owned and operated.
In October 2002, Natsume Co., Ltd. founded the pachinko company Atari Inc. (not to be confused with the American game company) in Osaka, which specialized in developing slot and pinball machines. On May 6, 2005, Natsume Solution began operation in Shinjuku. This division specializes on web site development, providing mobile solutions/services and developing web systems. On March 1, 2006, Natsume Solution was merged with Evolve.
Natsume Co., Ltd. changed its name to Natsume Atari in October 2013, and it is not directly connected to Natsume Inc. or its subsidiary Natsume Inc. Japan. Despite their corporate split off, Nastume-Atari and Natsume Inc. continued to collaborate on a number of occasions. Composed of veteran developers with an average age of 54 (as of 2022), its permanent members are composer Hiroyuki Iwatsuki, designer Shunichi Taniguchi, and programmer Toshiyasu Miyabe. Its works include Wild Guns Reloaded, The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors and Pocky & Rocky Reshrined. Within the company exists Tengo Project, an internal development team established as early as 2008 for the production of Omega Five, which has shifted its focus to modern revivals of classic video games.
The company again changed its name to Winning Entertainment Group on January 1, 2026, to "mark a fresh chapter". Natsume-Atari continues to be the name for the international operations in Europe and the Middle East, notably Bahrain where the company has an office. Natsume Inc. still remains an affiliate company.
Works
Pre-split Natsume These are games produced while Natsume Inc., was still operating as a subsidiary of Natsume Co., Ltd. Natsume Inc. would publish only Natsume Co., Ltd.'s games until becoming independent in the mid-90s.
YearTitlePublisher(s)Platform(s)Details1988Touhouken BunrokuNatsumeFamicomJapan only1989Majoriko Inbikai InbizoneNatsumePC-88Japan onlyIdol HakkendenTowa ChikiFamicomJapan onlyMitsume ga Tooru: The Three-Eyed One Comes HereNatsumeMSXJapan onlyDungeon Magic: Sword of the ElementsNatsume/TaitoNESAbadox: The Deadly Inner WarNatsume/Milton BradleyNESQuarter Back Scramble: American Football GamePony CanyonFamicomJapan onlyChuugoku Janshi Story: TonpuuNatsumeFamicomJapan only1990Amazing PenguinNatsumeGame BoyPower BladeTaitoNESCo-developed with TaitoDragon FighterTowa Chiki/SOFELNESS.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack TeamNatsume/InfogramesNESPalamedesHot-BNESShadow of the NinjaNatsume/TaitoNESWorld BoxingTSSFamicomJapan only1991Koufuku o Yobu Game: Dora Dora DoraNatsumeFamicomJapan onlyChōjin Sentai JetmanAngelFamicomJapan onlyNinja Gaiden ShadowTecmoGame BoySpanky's QuestTaito (GB), Natsume (SNES)Game Boy, Super NESTail 'GatorVAP/NatsumeGame BoyElevator ActionTaitoGame BoyHana Tāka Daka!?TaitoPC EngineJapan onlyAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of the LancePony CanyonNESShatterhandAngel/JalecoNESChaos WorldNatsumeFamicomJapan only1992Don Doko Don 2TaitoFamicomJapan onlyThe Jetsons: Cogswell's Caper!Taito/MattelNESMitsume ga TōruTomyFamicomJapan onlyPocky & RockyNatsumeSuper NESPower Blade 2TaitoNESCo-developed with TaitoSagaiaSegaMaster SystemEurope and Brazil only; based on the Sega Genesis portSpecial Criminal InvestigationSegaMaster SystemEurope and Brazil onlyToukon ClubJalecoFamicomJapan only1993Jantei Monogatari 3: Saver AngelsAtlusPC Engine CD-ROM²Japan onlyRenegadeSegaMaster SystemEurope, Brazil and Australia onlyZen-Nippon Pro WrestlingMasayaSuper FamicomJapan onlyZen-Nippon Pro Wrestling Dash: Sekai Saikyō TagMasayaSuper FamicomUpdated version; Japan onlyGhost Sweeper Mikami: Joreishi wa Nice BodyBanalexSuper FamicomJapan only1994Fortune QuestZamuseSuper FamicomJapan onlyPocky & Rocky 2Natsume/Ocean SoftwareSuper NESWild GunsNatsume/Titus SoftwareSuper NESNatsume Championship WrestlingNatsumeSuper NESHeavily based on Zen-Nippon Wrestling DashThe Ninja WarriorsTaito/TitusSuper NESMighty Morphin Power RangersBandaiSuper NESShimono Masaki no Fishing to BassingNatsumeSuper FamicomJapan onlyKagayake! Kirakira Senshi Risky JewelNatsumePC-88Japan only
Post-split Since splitting from Natsume Inc., WEG has mostly acted as a developer – although it has also published some games, notably in the Medarot series.
YearTitlePublisher(s)Platform(s)Details1995Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The MovieBandaiSuper NESMighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Fighting EditionBandaiSuper NES1996Shin Kidō Senki Gundam Wing: Endless DuelBandaiSuper FamicomJapan onlyPower Rangers Zeo: Battle RacersBandaiSuper NES1997CasperKSSSuper FamicomJapan onlyGekisō Sentai Carranger: Zenkai! Racer SenshiBandaiSuper FamicomJapan onlyMedarot: Kuwagata VersionImagineerGame BoyMedarot: Kabuto VersionImagineerGame Boy1998Medarot: Parts CollectionImagineerGame Boy1999Medarot: Perfect EditionImagineerWonderswanJapan onlyMedarot: Parts Collection 2ImagineerGame BoyJapan onlyWWF WrestleMania 2000THQ/Asmik AceGame Boy ColorHole in One GolfNatsume Inc.Game Boy ColorBass Masters ClassicTHQGame Boy Color2000Tony Hawk's Pro SkaterActivisionGame Boy ColorTony Hawk's Pro Skater 2ActivisionGame Boy ColorPower Rangers Lightspeed RecueTHQGame Boy ColorDragon DanceCrave EntertainmentGame Boy ColorKeitai Denjū TelefangSmilesoftGame Boy ColorJapan onlyMedarot Card RobottleImagineerGame Boy ColorJapan only2001Croc 2THQGame Boy ColorAction Man: Search for Base XTHQGame Boy ColorPower Rangers Time ForceTHQGame Boy ColorShaun Palmer's Pro SnowboarderActivision O2Game Boy AdvanceWWF Road to WrestleManiaTHQGame Boy AdvanceMonsters, Inc.THQGame Boy Advance2002Keitai Denjū Telefang IISmilesoftGame Boy AdvanceJapan onlyMedabots AXNatsume Inc.Game Boy AdvanceMedabots: Metabee and RokushoImagineerGame Boy AdvancePower Rangers Wild ForceTHQGame Boy AdvanceWWE Road to WrestleMania X8THQGame Boy Advance2003Medabots InfinityNatsume Inc.GameCubePower Rangers Ninja StormTHQGame Boy AdvanceBuffy the Vampire Slayer: Wrath of the Darkhul KingTHQGame Boy Advance2004Gundam SEED: Battle AssaultBandaiGame Boy AdvanceWWE Survivor SeriesTHQGame Boy AdvancePower Rangers: Dino ThunderTHQGame Boy Advance2005Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual SympathyBandai/Destineer/Empire InteractiveNintendo DSPower Rangers S.P.D.THQGame Boy Advance2006Nicktoons: Battle for Volcano IslandTHQNintendo DSKirby: Squeak SquadNintendoNintendo DSCo-developed with Flagship and HAL Laboratory2007Nicktoons: Attack of the ToybotsTHQNintendo DS2008SpongeBob SquarePants Featuring Nicktoons: Globs of DoomPlay THQNintendo DS2009Kamen Rider: Dragon KnightD3 PublisherNintendo DS2011Nikoli's Pencil PuzzleHudson SoftNintendo 3DS2014GodzillaBandai Namco GamesPlayStation 3, PlayStation 42017Little Witch Academia: Chamber of TimeBandai Namco EntertainmentPlayStation 4, Windows2018Girls und Panzer: Dream Tank MatchBandai Namco EntertainmentPlayStation 4, Nintendo SwitchNari Kids Park: Hugtto! PrecureBandai Namco GamesNintendo SwitchThe Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of BritanniaBandai Namco GamesPlayStation 42020Kamen Rider: Memory of HeroezBandai Namco EntertainmentNintendo Switch, PlayStation 42022Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising505 GamesNintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/SAssistance by Rabbit & Bear Studios2023SD Shin Kamen Rider RumbleBandai Namco EntertainmentNintendo Switch, Windows2024Penny Blood: HellboundYukikazePlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/SCo-developed with Studio Wildrose and YukikazeReynatisFuRyu/NIS AmericaNintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, WindowsCo-developed with FuRyu
Tengo Project
YearTitlePublisher(s)Platform(s)Details2008Omega FiveHudson SoftXbox 3602016Wild Guns ReloadedNatsume Co. (JP), Natsume Inc. (WW)PlayStation 4, Windows, Nintendo SwitchBased on Wild Guns (1994)2019The Ninja Saviors: Return of the WarriorsTaito (JP and PC), ININ Games (WW)Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, WindowsBased on The Ninja Warriors (1994)2022Pocky & Rocky ReshrinedTaito (JP), Natsume Inc. (WW), Natsume Atari (PC), ININ Games (Xbox)Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox Series X/SBased on Pocky & Rocky (1992)2024Shadow of the Ninja RebornNatsume Atari (JP), ININ Games (WW)Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/SBased on Shadow of the Ninja (1990)
Note
References
External links Natsume Atari homepage (Japanese) Natsume Co., Ltd. homepage (Japanese, old) Natsume Solution/evolve Co., Ltd. homepage (Japanese)