Yuke's


Yuke's Co. Ltd. is a Japanese video game developer based in Osaka. It was established on February 26, 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.
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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. The latter title was a best-seller in Japan. Though Activision purchased the rights to publish the game in North America and began localization work, only the first game was localized, becoming Power Move Pro Wrestling with a different roster of wrestlers.
In November 1999, Yuke's established Fine Co., Ltd. as a wholly owned subsidiary focused on online systems and mobile game development.
Beginning in 2000, Yuke's began to develop wrestling games for THQ and Jakks Pacific based on the World Wrestling Federation. They were recommended to THQ by Aki, who had developed their own line of wrestling games.
From 2005 to 2012, Yuke's owned 54% of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the top professional wrestling promotion in Japan.
In August 2019, then-series publisher 2K Games announced it had moved WWE game development to California-based studio Visual Concepts. 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. On November 10, 2020, All Elite Wrestling announced an upcoming console game developed by Yuke's, led by Def Jam Vendetta and WWF No Mercy director, Hideyuki "Geta" Iwashita,; this game would later go on to become AEW Fight Forever.

''Exciting Pro Wrestling'' controversy

Instead of THQ and Jakks Pacific, Yuke's published seven WWF/E games in Japan, starting with WWF SmackDown! in 2000 and finishing with WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 in 2005. These games were renamed to "Exciting Pro Wrestling 0-7" and released for PlayStation consoles. On October 18, 2006, WWE sued THQ and Jakks Pacific over alleged improper sales of WWE video games in Japan, and other countries in Asia, concerning that both parties were sub-licensing publication rights to Yuke's, which they were not allowed to do. As a result of this, THQ formed a new division in Japan, and WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 was released in Japan in 2006 directly by THQ and Jakks Pacific, instead of Yuke's. This satisfied WWE, and the lawsuit was thrown out.

Games developed

These are the list of games that the company developed.
YearTitlePublisherPlatform
29.09.1995New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon RetsudenTomyPlayStation
29.09.1995Hermie Hopperhead: Scrap PanicSCEIPlayStation
20.12.1996New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden 2TomyPlayStation
19.12.1997Ucchannanchan no Honō no Challenger: Denryū Iraira BōHudson SoftNintendo 64
04.01.1998New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Road Brave SpiritsHudson SoftNintendo 64
26.03.1998New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden 3TomyPlayStation
28.05.1998SoukaigiSquareSoftPlayStation
26.12.1998New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Road 2 - The Next GenerationHudson SoftNintendo 64
14.01.1999Evil ZoneTitus SoftwarePlayStation
28.05.1999Last Legion UXHudson SoftNintendo 64
02.09.1999New Japan Pro-Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden 4TomyDreamcast
09.12.1999The Pro WrestlingD3 PublisherPlayStation
16.12.1999Sword of the Berserk: Guts' RageASCII CorporationDreamcast
02.03.2000WWF SmackDown!THQPlayStation
01.08.2000WWF Royal RumbleTHQArcade, Dreamcast
21.11.2000WWF SmackDown! 2: Know Your RoleTHQPlayStation
14.12.2000The Pro Wrestling 2D3 PublisherPlayStation
16.11.2001WWF SmackDown! Just Bring ItTHQPlayStation 2
26.02.2002EOE: Eve of ExtinctionEidos InteractivePlayStation 2
28.03.2002Edit RacingD3 PublisherPlayStation 2
09.06.2002WWE WrestleMania X8THQGameCube
31.10.2002WWE SmackDown! Shut Your MouthTHQPlayStation 2
08.09.2003WWE WrestleMania XIXTHQGameCube
27.10.2003WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the PainTHQPlayStation 2
06.05.2004Online Pro WrestlingYuke'sPlayStation 2
30.08.2004WWE Day of ReckoningTHQGameCube
07.10.2004Berserk: Millennium Falcon Hen Seima Senki no ShōSammy CorporationPlayStation 2
02.11.2004WWE SmackDown! vs. RawTHQPlayStation 2
09.11.2004Rumble RosesKonamiPlayStation 2
17.02.2005D1 Grand PrixYuke'sPlayStation 2
29.08.2005WWE Day of Reckoning 2THQGameCube
20.10.2005D1 Grand Prix 2005Yuke'sPlayStation 2
11.11.2005WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006THQPlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
22.12.2005Wrestle KingdomYuke'sPlayStation 2, Xbox 360
27.04.2006The Dog: Happy LifeYuke'sPlayStation Portable
28.03.2006Rumble Roses XXKonamiXbox 360
10.11.2006WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007THQPlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360
26.04.2007The Dog IslandUbisoftPlayStation 2, Wii
10.05.2007Wrestle Kingdom 2Yuke'sPlayStation 2
28.09.2007Go! Sports SkiSCEIPlayStation 3
06.11.2007NevesAtlusNintendo DS
09.11.2007WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008THQPlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360
14.11.2007Petz: Dogz 2 and Catz 2UbisoftPlayStation 2, Wii
15.11.2007Soukou Kihei VotomsBandai Namco EntertainmentPlayStation 2
16.07.2008Double D DodgeballYuke'sXbox 360
16.10.2008Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Gundam MeistersBandai Namco EntertainmentPlayStation 2
27.10.2008Neverland Card BattlesIdea FactoryPlayStation Portable
06.11.2008WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009THQPlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360
19.03.2009WWE Legends of WrestleManiaTHQPlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS
19.05.2009UFC 2009 UndisputedTHQPlayStation 3, Xbox 360
20.10.2009WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010THQNintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360
25.05.2010UFC Undisputed 2010THQPlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360
26.10.2010WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011THQPlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Xbox 360
12.10.2011Real SteelYuke'sPlayStation 3, Xbox 360
22.11.2011WWE '12THQPlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
14.02.2012UFC Undisputed 3THQPlayStation 3, Xbox 360
30.10.2012WWE '13THQPlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
12.07.2013Pacific RimYuke'sXbox 360, PlayStation 3
29.10.2013WWE 2K142K SportsPlayStation 3, Xbox 360
28.10.2014WWE 2K152K SportsMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
27.10.2015WWE 2K162K SportsMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
11.10.2016WWE 2K172K SportsMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
13.10.2017WWE 2K182K SportsMicrosoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
09.10.2018WWE 2K192K SportsMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
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AEW Fight ForeverTHQ NordicNintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
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Double Dragon ReviveArc System WorksMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
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