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.
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.
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.
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.
Since splitting from Natsume Inc., WEG has mostly acted as a developer - although it has also published some games, notably in the Medarot series.