What Retro Games Taught Us About Life: The SNK Chapter
Introduction: The Indomitable Challenger with a Wild Soul
An ex-professional boxer, a coffee shop manager, a civil engineer—could there be another founder of a game company with such a varied background? SNK's founder, Eikichi Kawasaki. His own turbulent life symbolizes the "never give up, tough soul" of the company called SNK.
If Nintendo was the professional of toys and Sega the professional of commercial amusement equipment, then SNK was truly a "street fighter" that came up the hard way. Founded in 1978 as "Shin Nihon Kikaku," it was born from the heat of the 80s arcades, making its name known to the world with hits like Ikari Warriors and Athena.
This is the record of how such an indomitable challenger built an era, how they once fell, and how they magnificently revived.
The Founder's Tenacious Rescue Mission
SNK built an era in the 90s with the Neo Geo, but in 2001, the time finally came for its bankruptcy. However, the story did not end there.
Just before the bankruptcy, the founder, Mr. Kawasaki, established a new company called "Playmore." Then, participating in the asset auction of the bankrupt SNK, he brilliantly bought back the intellectual property rights to the games he had created, such as The King of Fighters and Metal Slug.
But was this miraculous revival accomplished by the founder's tenacity alone? It seems unlikely.
An old building unloved by society is demolished without a second thought. But for a building cherished by its community, people wish for it to remain, and sometimes, preservation movements are even started. The story of SNK was exactly like this. For many years, the games created by SNK had continuously "contributed" excitement and joy to the arcade community. The fans who loved those games, the developers who continued to believe in SNK's philosophy—this "societal love" had created an invisible safety net.
The Solitary Philosophy of Never Betraying the Fans
The "SNK-ness" that the revived "second SNK" protected is like the philosophy of a historic sports car manufacturer.
For example, like the Porsche 911, they continue to provide the best driving pleasure of the era for decades without changing the basic design. A form you recognize just by sight, and performance that never betrays you. The fans love the entire philosophy.
SNK, too, continued to protect the soul of The King of Fighters and never betrayed its fans.
A Hymn for Challengers
Why were they so dedicated to mastering a single path? The driving force likely shifted from the initial perspective of "will it sell?" to a pure passion for "creating what we truly believe is fun."
Ventures like "Neo Geo Land," which may have been a business failure, were part of the grand vision they painted.
Their story teaches us the most important origin point of creation.
Is it about whether it will sell, or about whether you truly believe it is "fun"? And on the path you run down with all your might towards that vision, there will be no regrets, even if it doesn't lead to commercial success.
Because that pure passion is the only energy that transcends time, captivates people, and creates die-hard fans.