Editing Taito (section)

==History==
In 1944, a [[History of the Jews in Ukraine|Jewish-Ukrainian]] businessman named [[Michael Kogan]] founded Taitung in [[Shanghai]].<ref name="Smith">{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Alexander |title=They Create Worlds |date=November 19, 2019 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=9780429752612 }}</ref> A refugee of the [[Soviet Union]], Kogan previously worked in a factory in Japan during the country's involvement in [[World War II]], before moving to Shanghai to join his father.<ref name="Smith"/><ref name="Akagi">{{cite book |last1=Akagi |first1=Masumi |title=それは「ポン」から始まった-アーケードTVゲームの成り立ち |trans-title=It Started From Pong|date=September 21, 2005 |publisher=Amusement News Agency |isbn=978-4990251208 |language=ja}}</ref> Taitung, which translated to "Taito" in Japanese, dealt in floor coverings, natural hair wigs, and hog bristles.<ref name="Smith"/>

===1950s–1960s===
The [[Chinese Civil War|Communist takeover of China]] prompted Kogan to liquidate the business in 1950 and move operations to Japan, which after the war was suffering a significant economic decline.<ref name="Smith"/> The second business, a clothing distributor named Taito Yoko, struggled financially as a result of employee carelessness and constant loss of products.<ref name="Akagi"/> On August 24, 1953, Taito Yoko was abolished and replaced with the Taito Trading Company, where Kogan was joined by lawyer and retired newspaperman Akio Nakatani.<ref name="Smith"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Taito Corporation Company Profile 2019 |url=https://www.taito.co.jp/Content/media/pdf/taito_corp2019.pdf |publisher=Taito |access-date=27 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515031003/https://www.taito.co.jp/Content/Media/pdf/taito_corp2019.pdf |archive-date=15 May 2020 |language=ja |date=2019}}</ref> Taito Trading Company began as a vodka distillery—the first company to produce vodka in Japan—and an importer of peanut vending machines and perfume machines.<ref name="History">{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.taito.co.jp/corporate/about/history |publisher=Taito |access-date=November 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507144431/https://www.taito.co.jp/corporate/about/history |archive-date=May 7, 2020 |language=ja}}</ref><ref name="Ashcraft">{{cite web |last1=Ashcraft |first1=Brian |title=Before Space Invaders, Taito Made Vodka |url=https://kotaku.com/before-space-invaders-taito-made-vodka-1825707817 |website=[[Kotaku]] |publisher=[[G/O Media]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808183910/https://kotaku.com/before-space-invaders-taito-made-vodka-1825707817 |archive-date=August 8, 2020 |date=May 2, 2018}}</ref>

Increasing competition led to Taito abandoning the vodka business in 1955 and focusing on its successful vending machines, in addition to importing jukeboxes.<ref name="Smith"/><ref name="Akagi"/><ref name="Ashcraft"/> As Taito lacked a proper license to import jukeboxes into Japan, it purchased broken-down machines from United States military bases and refurbished them with working parts from defective units.<ref name="Smith"/> The recovering Japanese economy allowed Taito to become the official distributor of AMI jukeboxes in the country. Though the deal had little impact at first, over 1,500 machines were sold by 1960 when the company began mixing Japanese records with American folk songs.<ref name="Smith"/> A partnership with the [[Seeburg Corporation]] made Taito its exclusive agent in Japan and one of the nation's leading jukebox companies.<ref name="Smith"/>

Taito began manufacturing [[electro-mechanical games]] (EM games) in the 1960s. In 1967, they released ''Crown Soccer Special'' (1967), a two-player sports game that simulated [[association football]] using electronic components such as pinball flippers.<ref>{{KLOV game|16047|Crown Soccer Special}}</ref> In 1968, ''Crown Basketball'' debuted in the US as the highest-earning arcade game at the 1968 Tampa Fair.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Munves' Southern Tour Reveals High Earnings For Several Games At Tampa Fair |magazine=[[Cash Box]] |date=9 March 1968 |page=61 |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox29unse_31/page/61 |publisher=Cash Box Pub. Co.}}</ref>

===1970s–1980s===
Taito changed its name from Taito Trading Company to Taito Corporation in August 1972. It established its American subsidiary in 1973 in downtown Chicago, Taito America.<ref name="Smith"/>

====First video game====
Taito's first video game was called ''Elepong''. It is a ping-pong arcade cabinet released in 1973 in Japan.

[[File:Tomohiro-nishikado.jpg|thumb|[[Tomohiro Nishikado]] in 2011]]
[[Tomohiro Nishikado]], a [[Tokyo Denki University]] engineering graduate who joined the company in 1968, was instrumental in the company's transition to video games. After developing the hit electro-mechanical target shooting games ''Sky Fighter'' (1971) and ''Sky Fighter II'', his bosses at Taito believed [[transistor-transistor logic]] (TTL) technology would play a significant role in the arcade industry, so they tasked Nishikado with investigating TTL technology as he was the company's only employee who knew how to work with [[integrated circuit]] (IC) technology, and one of the few engineers at any Japanese coin-op company with significant expertise in [[solid-state electronics]].<ref name="Smith192"/>

Nishikado spent six months dissecting [[Atari, Inc.|Atari]]'s ''[[Pong]]'' arcade unit and learning how the game's IC chips worked, and began modifying the game.<ref name="Smith192">{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Alexander |title=They Create Worlds: The Story of the People and Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry, Vol. I: 1971-1982 |date=19 November 2019 |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |isbn=978-0-429-75261-2 |pages=192–5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cxy_DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT192}}</ref> This led to his development of the ''Pong''-style [[sports video games]] ''Soccer'' and ''Davis Cup'' for Taito,<ref name="Kohler">{{citation|author=Chris Kohler|year=2005|title=Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life|pages=16–19|publisher=[[BradyGames]]|isbn=0-7440-0424-1}}</ref> with ''Soccer'' developed first<ref name="Smith192"/> but both released in November 1973.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Akagi |first1=Masumi |title=アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005) |trans-title=Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition (1971-2005) |date=13 October 2006 |publisher=Amusement News Agency |language=ja |location=Japan |isbn=978-4990251215 |pages=40–1, 124 |url=https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n41/mode/2up}}</ref> He then developed several original arcade video game hits for Taito, notably the sports game ''[[TV Basketball]]'' (1974), the [[racing game]] ''[[Speed Race]]'' (1974), and the [[shooter game]] ''[[Western Gun]]'' (1975); these three titles were localized by [[Midway Manufacturing]] in North America as ''TV Basketball'', ''Wheels'', and ''Gun Fight'', respectively.

In 1978, Nishikado created ''[[Space Invaders]]'', which became the company's most popular title and one of the most popular games in [[Timeline of arcade video game history|arcade history]], partially responsible for beginning the [[golden age of arcade video games]].<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://timeline.com/golden-age-video-arcades-940a177ccb30|title = Photos: The golden age of video arcades|date = December 20, 2016|access-date = June 12, 2020|archive-date = September 27, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200927163043/https://timeline.com/golden-age-video-arcades-940a177ccb30|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Dean|last=Smith|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/the-role-of-space-invaders-as-the-archetypal-action-videogame-and-why-its-theme-of-one-versus-many-is-so-successful|title=The role of Space Invaders as the archetypal action videogame, and why its theme of 'One Versus Many' is so successful|date=June 20, 2016 }}</ref> After Michael Kogan died in February 1984, his son, Abraham "Abba" Kogan, became Taito's chairman and Akio Nakanishi became its president.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19840401p.pdf#page=15|title=Nakanishi Appointed As New President Of Taito Corp.|magazine=Game Machine|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1984-04-01|accessdate=2021-03-12}}</ref>

[[File:Taito logo (old).svg|thumb|Taito's former logo]]
In April 1986 and barely a month after becoming part of the [[Kyocera]] group, Taito merged with two of its subsidiaries, Pacific Industrial Co., Ltd. and the Japan Vending Machine Co., Ltd, and absorbed them both. Japan Vending Machine was once an independent company but was purchased by Taito in July 1971 to strengthen its presence in the operation of amusement facilities.<ref name=history>{{cite web|title=Taito Corporate History|date=January 18, 2024 |url=https://www.taito.com/corporate/history|publisher=Taito Corporation}}</ref> Pacific Industrial was created by Taito itself in 1963 to develop products for the company.<ref name=history/>

===1990s–2000s===
In 1992, Taito announced a [[CD-ROM]]-based [[video game console]] named WOWOW, that would have allowed people to play near-exact ports of Taito's arcades (similar to the [[Neo Geo (console)|Neo Geo]]), as well as download games from a satellite transmission (as the [[Satellaview]] would do later). It was named after the Japanese television station [[Wowow|WOWOW]] and would have utilized its stations to download games. The WOWOW was never released.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/08/the_tragic_tale_of_taitos_wowow_the_console_which_promised_download_gaming_in_1992|title=The Tragic Tale Of Taito's WOWOW, The Console Which Promised Download Gaming In 1992|date=August 11, 2015|website=Nintendo Life}}</ref>

Taito America ceased operations in July 1996 after more than 20 years of existence. Taito had already sold exclusive rights for publishing its games in America to [[Acclaim Entertainment]] the previous year.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Industry Rebounds|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=88 |publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=January 1996|pages=22–23}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Jupiter Strike|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=15 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=March 1996|page=81}}</ref> Similarly, a division existed in [[London]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom]] to distribute Taito games in Europe. '''Taito (Europe) Corporation Limited''' was created in 1988 and liquidated in February 1998.

When Taito was owned by [[Kyocera]], its headquarters were in [[Hirakawachō]], [[Chiyoda, Tokyo|Chiyoda]].<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/19980111203350/http://www.taito.co.jp/PROFENG.HTM Company Outline]." Taito Corporation. January 11, 1998. Retrieved on January 30, 2011 "Head Office 2-5-3 Hirakawa-cho,Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 102,JAPAN." [https://web.archive.org/web/19980111203215/http://www.taito.co.jp/PROFJAP.HTM Address in Japanese]: "東京都千代田区平河町二丁目5番3号"</ref> In October 2000, Taito merged with Kyocera Multimedia Corporation to enter the market of mobile phones for the first time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Taito Corporate History|url=https://www.taito.com/corporate/history|publisher=Taito|access-date=2 April 2017}}</ref>

[[File:TAITO Ebina Development Center.jpg|thumb|Taito Ebina Development Center in [[Ebina, Kanagawa|Ebina]], [[Kanagawa Prefecture]]. Opened in 1979, it closed in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://killscreen.com/previously/articles/the-demolition-of-japans-videogame-history/|title=The demolition of Japan's videogame history|date=March 24, 2016|website=Kill Screen}}</ref>]]

In August 2005, it was announced that the gaming conglomerate [[Square Enix]] would purchase 247,900 Taito shares worth ¥45.16 billion ([[United States dollar|US$]]409.1 million), to make Taito Corporation a subsidiary of Square Enix.<ref>{{cite web | author=Jenkins, David | date=August 22, 2005 | title=Square Enix Makes Bid For Taito | url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/square-enix-makes-bid-for-taito | access-date=2007-08-26}}</ref> The purpose of the takeover by Square Enix was to both increase Taito's profit margin exponentially as well as begin its company's expansion into new forms of gaming, most notably, the arcade scene, and various other entertainment venues. The takeover bid from Square Enix was accepted by previous stockholder Kyocera, making Taito a Square Enix subsidiary.<ref>{{cite news|title= Square Enix ready to acquire Taito|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2005/08/23/business/square-enix-ready-to-acquire-taito/#.WODa3vnyvIW|newspaper=[[The Japan Times]]|date=23 August 2005|access-date=2 April 2017}}</ref> 

On September 22, 2005, Square Enix announced successfully acquiring 93.7% of all shares of Taito, effectively owning the company by September 28, 2005.<ref>{{cite web | author=Carless, Simon | date= September 22, 2005 | title=Square Enix Nears Takeover Of Taito | url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/square-enix-nears-takeover-of-taito | access-date=2007-08-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Klepek, Patrick | date=September 28, 2005 | title=Square Enix Swallows Taito | url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3144185 | access-date=2007-08-26 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204034021/http://www.1up.com/news/square-enix-swallows-taito | archive-date=February 4, 2012 }}</ref>  In March 2006, Square Enix wanted to make Taito a wholly owned subsidiary.<ref name="Taito-SQEX merger"/><ref name="second company"/> To accomplish this goal, Square Enix merged Taito into SQEX Corporation.<ref name="Taito-SQEX merger">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970713090108/http://www.gamasutra.com/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 13, 1997|title=Gamasutra - The Art & Business of Making Games|first=David|last=Jenkins|website=www.gamasutra.com}}</ref><ref name="second company"/> Although the combined company took on the name "Taito Corporation", it was actually Taito that was dissolved and SQEX that was the surviving entity.<ref name="second company">{{cite web|url=http://www.jp.square-enix.com/company/en/news/2005/download/release_20051216en.pdf |title=Square Enix To Make Taito A Wholly-Owned Subsidiary|publisher=Square Enix Co., Ltd.|date=12 December 2005|access-date=1 November 2016}}</ref> Taito became a subsidiary wholly owned by Square Enix and was delisted from the First Section of the [[Tokyo Stock Exchange]].<ref name="second company"/>

In July 2008, [[Square Enix]] announced that it would liquidate two subsidiaries of Taito, Taito Art Corporation (an insurance and travel agent subsidiary) and Taito Tech Co., Ltd. (an amusement and maintenance subsidiary) on the grounds that both had fulfilled their business purpose. The process ended in October 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.square-enix.com/jp/company/e/news/2008/download/20080728en_40.pdf |title=Notice regarding Dissolution and Liquidation of Subsidiaries|publisher=Square Enix Co., Ltd.|date=28 September 2008|access-date=28 September 2008}}</ref>

===2010s–present===
In February 2010, Taito's unit for home video games split into a separate company called Taito Soft Corporation (not to be confused with Taito Software, the North American division of the late 1980s).<ref name="second company"/> On March 11, 2010, Taito Soft was folded into Square Enix.<ref>{{cite web|title=Taito Corporation - Notice of Inquiry Change|url=https://www.taito.co.jp/corporate/topics/news/1370|publisher=Taito Corporation|date=2006|access-date=11 March 2010}}</ref> All of Taito's franchises for video game consoles in Japan are since published by Square Enix.

Square Enix Holdings wanted all of its arcade operations to be regrouped into one subsidiary. The third and present Taito Corporation came to being on February 1, 2010, by merging the second company (formerly SQEX/Game Designers Studio) with ES1 Corporation.<ref name="third company">{{cite web|url=http://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/pdf/news/20091127_01en.pdf |title=Notice of an Absorption-type Company Split Between Taito Corporation and ES1 Corporation|publisher=Square Enix Holdings|date=27 November 2009|access-date=1 November 2016}}</ref> In an "absorption-type company split" move, the second company was split and renamed Taito Soft Corporation, while ES1 Corporation became the third Taito Corporation.<ref name="third company"/>

During its merger with the second company to become itself the new Taito Corporation, ES1 inherited all of Taito's arcade and mobile businesses, and nearly the totality of its employees.<ref name="third company"/> On the other hand, Taito Soft Corporation (formerly SQEX) was left with 10 employees to concentrate exclusively on the development and publishing of video games for home consoles.<ref name="third company"/> Taito Soft Corporation was eventually merged into Square Enix in March 2010 and dissolved. ES1 Corporation was established on June 1, 2009, as an operator of arcade facilities.<ref name="third company"/> ES1 Corporation was owned by the [[shell corporation|shell company]] SPC1, itself a wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings.<ref name="third company"/> SCP1 dissolved when ES1 became Taito Corporation in February 2010.<ref name="third company"/> As such, the current Taito Corporation is technically the company formerly called ES1 Corporation.<ref name="third company"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/assets/pdf/ar_2019en.pdf |title=Square Enix 2019 Annual Report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205123638/https://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/assets/pdf/ar_2019en.pdf |archive-date=5 December 2019 |date=2019 |publisher=Square Enix |access-date=3 December 2019|page=30}}</ref>

On November 30, 2016, Taito announced that it will distribute ''Space Invaders'' and ''Arkanoid'' for [[Facebook]] with Instant Games on [[Facebook Messenger]] and Facebook News Feed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.taito.co.jp/Content/images/zone/0/news/201407/267f9e63-62c2-48f8-9ab8-f69366b52b3a_p_01_en.pdf|title=Timeless Classics "Space Invaders" and "Arkanoid" Heading "Instant Games" on Messenger and Facebook News Feed|publisher=Taito|date=30 November 2016|access-date=2 April 2017}}</ref>

On July 3, 2018, Taito announced in Famitsu that it will return to the software publishing business for the [[eighth generation of video game consoles]]. The intention to return to the home console market came about because the company decided that it would be necessary to release Taito's intellectual properties on current platforms in order to increase profit. The company has various properties planned in its software pipeline, from re-releases to new titles for various platforms; however, Taito highlighted that the console software market is a challenging business for the company. Taito intends to develop original games for consoles in the future.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gematsu.com/2018/07/ninja-warriors-again-announced-for-switch|title=Ninja Warriors Again announced for Switch|publisher=Gematsu|date=3 July 2018|access-date=7 July 2018}}</ref>