Visual Concepts
Encyclopedia
Visual Concepts is a California-based video game developer
best known for developing Sega Sports' 2K series of sports game
s. After the success of the series, they were picked up by Sega and became a wholly owned studio with Sega, usually termed a first-party developer
. However, Sega at the time termed non-internal studios that the company either set up or purchased as "1.5 development studios" in order to differentiate them from their own internal studios. In January 2005, Visual Concepts was sold to Take-Two Interactive
along with their wholly owned subsidiary Kush Games
. With the purchase of Visual Concepts, Take-Two created 2K Games
, a new publishing label. Although the company started out developing quirky titles such as Lester the Unlikely, development efforts are now primarily centered on sports titles such as Basketball and Baseball.
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
best known for developing Sega Sports' 2K series of sports game
Sports game
A sports game is a computer or video game that simulates the practice of traditional sports. Most sports have been recreated with a game, including team sports, athletics and extreme sports. Some games emphasize actually playing the sport , whilst others emphasize strategy and organization...
s. After the success of the series, they were picked up by Sega and became a wholly owned studio with Sega, usually termed a first-party developer
First-party developer
A video game development party can be one of two parties: a first-party or third-party developer.- First-party developer :In the video game industry, a first-party developer is a developer that is part of a company that manufactures a video game console, and develops exclusively for it...
. However, Sega at the time termed non-internal studios that the company either set up or purchased as "1.5 development studios" in order to differentiate them from their own internal studios. In January 2005, Visual Concepts was sold to Take-Two Interactive
Take-Two Interactive
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a major American publisher, developer, and distributor of video games and video game peripherals. Take-Two wholly owns 2K Games and Rockstar Games. The company's headquarters are in New York City, with international headquarters in Windsor, United Kingdom...
along with their wholly owned subsidiary Kush Games
Kush Games
Kush Games was a video game developer based out of Camarillo, California. They focused on non-violent, sports video games such as MLB Baseball 2K and NHL 2K...
. With the purchase of Visual Concepts, Take-Two created 2K Games
2K Games
2K is a global developer, marketer, distributor and publisher of interactive entertainment software games. 2K Games is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, which also owns Rockstar Games notable for the Grand Theft Auto series...
, a new publishing label. Although the company started out developing quirky titles such as Lester the Unlikely, development efforts are now primarily centered on sports titles such as Basketball and Baseball.
2K/ESPN game series
- NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Football- NFL 2KESPN NFL 2KNFL 2K is an American football video game series developed by Visual Concepts and published by Sega.- History :The NFL 2K series was introduced by Sega to address EA Sports's decision not to publish the Madden NFL series on the Dreamcast...
(Dreamcast) - NFL 2K1 (Dreamcast)
- NFL 2K2 (Dreamcast, PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, XboxXboxThe Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
) - NFL 2K3 (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCubeNintendo GameCubeThe , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
) - ESPN NFL Football (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
- ESPN NFL 2K5 (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
- NFL 2K
- Fantasy Football
- All-Pro Football 2K8All-Pro Football 2K8All-Pro Football 2K8 is a football game for seventh generation consoles and the spiritual successor to the ESPN NFL 2K series. APF2K8 is the first football game to be published by 2K Sports since EA Sports purchased exclusive licenses to the intellectual properties of the NFL and NFLPA. Barry...
(PlayStation 3PlayStation 3The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
)
- All-Pro Football 2K8
- NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
Basketball- NBA 2K (Dreamcast)
- NBA 2K1 (Dreamcast)
- NBA 2K2 (Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube)
- NBA 2K3 (Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox)
- ESPN NBA Basketball (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
- ESPN NBA 2K5 (Xbox, PlayStation 2)
- NBA 2K6 (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360)
- NBA 2K7 (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
- NBA 2K8 (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- NBA 2K9 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PC)
- NBA 2K10NBA 2K10NBA 2K10 is a basketball video game based on the National Basketball Association developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released on October 6, 2009 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and PSP and on October 12, 2009 on PC. It was released on Wii on November 9, 2009 in...
(WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PCMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, PSPPlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
) - NBA 2K11NBA 2K11The game has received critical acclaim. Game review websites have praised NBA 2K11 for its developed controls, online multi-player, and Michael Jordan features...
(WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PCMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, PSPPlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
) - NBA 2K12NBA 2K12NBA 2K12 is a basketball video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It was released on October 4, 2011 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Windows, Wii and for the first time on iOS iPhone and iPad...
(iPadIPadThe iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
, iPhoneIPhoneThe iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360)
- College Football
- NCAA College Football 2K2: Road to the Rose Bowl (Dreamcast)
- NCAA College Football 2K3NCAA College Football 2K3NCAA College Football 2K3 is an American football video game released in 2002 by Visual Concepts. The cover athlete is former Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Eric Crouch. It is the second College Football game by Visual Concepts...
(Nintendo GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2)
- College Basketball
- NCAA College Basketball 2K3 (Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox)
- ESPN College Hoops (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
- ESPN College Hoops 2K5ESPN College Hoops 2K5ESPN College Hoops 2K5 is an American college basketball video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by Sega. It is a college basketball simulation available for the Xbox and PlayStation 2...
(PlayStation 2, Xbox) - College Hoops 2K6 (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360)
- College Hoops 2K7 (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360)
- College Hoops 2K8 (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- World Series BaseballWorld Series BaseballSega Sports' World Series Baseball, or simply World Series Baseball, is a sports game developed by BlueSky Software and published by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis. It is the first game in the series and was originally released in 1994...
/ Major League Baseball- World Series Baseball 2K2World Series Baseball 2K2World Series Baseball 2K2, or World Series Baseball as it is known for Xbox, is a sports game developed by Visual Concepts and published by Sega for the Dreamcast and Xbox. It is the first game in the modern series to be featured on the Xbox and the first title in the series developed by Visual...
(Dreamcast, Xbox) - World Series Baseball 2K3World Series Baseball 2K3World Series Baseball 2K3 is a sports game developed by Visual Concepts and published by Sega for the Playstation 2 and Xbox. It is the successor to World Series Baseball 2K2 and the last to carry the World Series Baseball name. It was released on March 10, 2003 prior to the start of the 2003 Major...
(Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox) - ESPN MLB Baseball (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
- Major League Baseball 2K5 (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
- Major League Baseball 2K6Major League Baseball 2K6Major League Baseball 2K6, simply known as MLB 2K6, is a Major League Baseball licensed baseball video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports. It is the only 2006 MLB licensed game available for the Xbox 360 and Nintendo GameCube along with the original Xbox...
(Nintendo GameCube, PSP, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360) - Major League Baseball 2K7Major League Baseball 2K7Major League Baseball 2K7 is a Major League Baseball licensed baseball simulation video game developed by Kush Games and published by 2K Sports. Released on February 27, 2007, it is the only 2007 MLB licensed game available for the Xbox 360 and Xbox...
(PSP, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance) - Major League Baseball 2K8Major League Baseball 2K8Major League Baseball 2K8 or in shorter terms, MLB 2K8, is a MLB licensed baseball simulation video game developed by Kush Games and published by 2K Sports for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, and Xbox 360. It was released on March 4, 2008...
(PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360) - Major League Baseball 2K9Major League Baseball 2K9Major League Baseball 2K9 or, in short, MLB 2K9, is a MLB licensed baseball simulation video game published by 2K Sports. The game was developed for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Wii...
(PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii) - Major League Baseball 2K10Major League Baseball 2K10Major League Baseball 2K10 or, in short, MLB 2K10, is a MLB licensed baseball simulation video game published by 2K Sports. MLB 2K10 was available for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii and Nintendo DS...
(PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii) - Major League Baseball 2K11Major League Baseball 2K11Major League Baseball 2K11 or, in short, MLB 2K11, is an MLB licensed baseball simulation video game published by 2K Sports. MLB 2K11 is available for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, and Wii.-Commentators:The commentary is delivered by...
(PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii)
- World Series Baseball 2K2
- NHL Hockey
- NHL 2K (Dreamcast)
- NHL 2K2 (Dreamcast)
- NHL 2K3NHL 2K3NHL 2K3 is a hockey video game developed for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox by Treyarch and published by Sega in the United States, and Atari in Europe. It features Jeremy Roenick on the cover....
(Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox) - ESPN NHL Hockey (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
- ESPN NHL 2K5ESPN NHL 2K5ESPN NHL 2K5 is an ice hockey simulation made by ESPN Videogames and published on the Xbox and PlayStation 2 consoles. ESPN's Gary Thorne on play-by-play commentary and Bill Clement on color commentary calls all the action....
(PlayStation 2, Xbox) - NHL 2K6NHL 2K6NHL 2K6 is an ice hockey simulation made by 2K Sports, and published on the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Xbox 360 consoles. It features goaltender Marty Turco on the cover of games sold in the United States, and forward Mats Sundin on the cover of games sold in Canada.The game brings all the features...
(PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360) - NHL 2K7 (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360)
- NHL 2K8 (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
- NHL 2K9NHL 2K9NHL 2K9 is an ice hockey simulation made by 2K Sports, part of the NHL 2K series, and published on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. It features Columbus Blue Jackets left winger Rick Nash on the cover...
(PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii) - NHL 2K10NHL 2K10NHL 2K10 is an ice hockey simulation developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K Sports, part of the NHL 2K series. It was released on September 15, 2009 for Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 2. Randy Hahn and Drew Remenda provide commentary as they did for NHL 2K9...
(Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2) - NHL 2K11NHL 2K11NHL 2K11 received average ratings from critics. The game received an aggregated score of 64% at GameRankings and 62% at Metacritic. GamesRadar reviewer Richard Grisham generally praised the game for its "staggering amount of content" and online integration...
(Wii)
Dreamcast
- Floigan Bros.
- Ooga BoogaOoga BoogaOoga Booga is an online multiplayer game for the Dreamcast, focusing on the combat of "Kahunas" using thrown shrunken heads, riding animals, staffs, or using spells. The storyline is that Ooga Booga is a volcano goddess that creates islands, and has leaders of tribes, the Kahunas, that battle for...
- Sonic Adventure 2Sonic Adventure 2Sonic Adventure 2 is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Dreamcast video game console. It was released in North America on June 19, 2001 and in Japan on June 23, 2001 to mark the 10th anniversary of the release of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. It is the sequel...
- Visual Concepts is listed in the credits of Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2 Battle.
PlayStation
- NBA Fastbreak '98
- NHL Hockey '97 (published by EA Sports)
- One
- Viewpoint
Sega Saturn
- NBA Action 98 (published by Sega Sports)
- NHL Hockey 97 (published by EA Sports)
SNES/Genesis/Mega Drive
- Lester the UnlikelyLester the UnlikelyLester the Unlikely, known in Japan as , is a platform video game developed by Visual Concepts Entertainment for the Super NES. It was published in Japan by Asmik Ace Entertainment and in North America by DTMC in 1994.-Plot:...
- Madden NFL '94 (published by EA Sports)
- Madden NFL '95 (published by EA)
- Bill Walsh College Football (published by EA Sports)
- ClayFighterClayFighterClayFighter is a fighting game released for the Super NES in 1993, and later ported to Mega Drive/Genesis in 1994. It has been re-released on Nintendo's Virtual Console along with the two Earthworm Jim games and Boogerman, which are also by Interplay....
- Clay Fighter II
- ClaymatesClaymatesClaymates is a video game for the Super NES. It is the first of Interplay's claymation titles which later included the ClayFighter series.-Overview:...
- Harley's Humongous AdventureHarley's Humongous AdventureHarley's Humongous Adventure is a 1992 Super NES platform video game.-Summary:...
- MLBPA Baseball (published by EA Sports)
- NHL 95 (published by EA Sports)
- Taz-ManiaTaz-Mania (video game)Taz Mania is a video game developed by Recreational Brainware and manufactured by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1992. Similar but alternative variations of the game were also developed by NuFX for the Sega Game Gear and by Sega itself for the Sega Master System.Recreational Brainware was made...
- WeaponlordWeaponlordWeaponlord is a 1- or 2-player fighting game originally designed for release on the Super Nintendo by Visual Concepts, and published by Namco. During the inception of the title, the development team also began work on a Sega Mega Drive/Genesis version and both were released in October 1995...
- Were Back
- Desert Strike
- Jungle Strike
- Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball
Game Boy
- Star Trek: 25th Anniversary
Apple IIGS
- Task Force (published by Britannica Software)
- Gnarly Golf (published by Britannica Software)
- Great Western Shootout (published by Britannica Software)