2K (company)
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | January 2005 |
| Founder | Take-Two Interactive |
| Headquarters | Novato, California , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | David Ismailer (President), Phil Dixon (COO) |
| Products | Video games, game publishing |
| Parent | Take-Two Interactive |
2K is a United States-based video game publisher headquartered in Novato, California. Established in January 2005 as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, it debuted with the sub-labels 2K Games and 2K Sports, integrating multiple studios owned by Take-Two such as Visual Concepts and Kush Games. Initially operating out of New York City, 2K shifted its base to Novato in 2007. The company introduced a third division, 2K Play, in September 2007 to concentrate on casual gaming. The leadership team includes David Ismailer as president and Phil Dixon as COO, and the firm maintains a motion capture facility located in Petaluma, California.
History
On January 24, 2005, Take-Two Interactive finalized the acquisition of Visual Concepts, the studio behind the NBA 2K, NHL 2K, and MLB 2K franchises formerly under Sega Sports, for . This deal also encompassed Kush Games and related intellectual properties. The following day, Take-Two launched the 2K Publishing label along with its sub-labels 2K Games and 2K Sports.
In January 2006, a five-alarm fire caused damage to several of 2K's offices in New York City. By June 2007, the company had moved its operations to Novato, California, alongside Visual Concepts. Later that year, the newly formed 2K Play division was created to specialize in casual titles; it incorporated assets from Take-Two’s budget-focused publisher Global Star Software, including Cat Daddy Games and games like Carnival Games and Deal or No Deal. Additionally, Take-Two entered into a licensing agreement with Nickelodeon to develop games based on its television programs.
In January 2013, 2K acquired the publishing rights for video games based on the WWE brand.
Christoph Hartmann stepped down as president in May 2017 after nearly twenty years at Take-Two. David Ismailer, who served as COO prior, was elevated to president. Later that year in November, Phil Dixon joined from Betfair to assume the role of COO.
September 2018 marked the launch of 2K Foundations, a social responsibility program aimed at community and youth development worldwide. Collaborating with NBA and WNBA athletes, this initiative has renovated over fifty basketball courts across six continents at community centers serving underprivileged groups.
Studios
- 2K Chengdu located in Chengdu, China; established June 2011.
- 2K Madrid based in Madrid, Spain; founded June 2021.
- 2K Sports Lab situated in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; inaugurated October 2023.
- 2K Valencia operating out of Valencia, Spain; originally Elite3D founded in 2005, acquired November 2021.
- 2K Vegas located in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.; founded as 2K West in 2006, rebranded in 2013.
- 31st Union with offices in San Mateo, California, U.S., and Valencia, Spain; originally established as 2K Silicon Valley in 2019 and renamed in 2020.
- Cat Daddy Games situated in Kirkland, Washington, U.S.; founded in 1996 and acquired in 2003.
- Cloud Chamber headquartered in Novato, California, U.S., and Montreal, Canada; founded in 2019.
- Firaxis Games based in Hunt Valley, Maryland, U.S.; established in 1996 and acquired by Take-Two in 2005.
- Gearbox Software located in Frisco, Texas, U.S.; founded in 1999 and acquired in 2024.
- Gearbox Studio Montreal situated in Montreal, Canada; acquired in 2024.
- Gearbox Studio Québec based in Québec City, Canada; acquired in 2024.
- Hangar 13 with locations across Novato, California, U.S., as well as Brno and Prague, Czech Republic, and Brighton, England; launched in 2014.
- HB Studios operating out of Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, Canada; founded in 2000 and acquired in 2021.
- Mass Media located in Moorpark, California, U.S.; established during the 1980s and acquired by Take-Two in 2018.
- Visual Concepts headquartered in Novato, California, U.S.; founded in 1988 and purchased by Take-Two Interactive in 2005.
Defunct
- 2K Australia located in Canberra, Australia; established in 2000, acquired in 2006, and shut down in 2015.
- 2K China based in Shanghai, China; founded in May 2006 and closed in November 2015.
- 2K Czech situated in Brno, Czech Republic; started in 1997, acquired in 2008, and integrated into Hangar 13 by 2017.
- 2K Hangzhou operating in Hangzhou, China; founded in 2007 and ceased operations in November 2016.
- 2K Los Angeles located in Camarillo, California, U.S.; originally Kush Games founded in 1998, acquired in 2005, and closed by 2008.
- 2K Marin based in Novato, California, U.S.; established in 2007 and closed in 2013.
- Frog City Software from San Francisco, U.S.; founded in 1994, acquired in 2003, and shut down in 2006.
- Indie Built located in Salt Lake City, U.S.; originally Access Software founded in 1982, renamed after acquisition in 2004, and closed by 2006.
- Irrational Games based out of Westwood, Massachusetts, U.S.; founded in 1997, acquired in 2006, closed in 2017 with successor company Ghost Story Games.
- PAM Development operating from Paris, France; founded in 1995, acquired in 2005, and closed by 2008.
- PopTop Software located in Fenton, Missouri, U.S.; founded in 1993, acquired in 2000, merged into Firaxis Games during 2006.
- Venom Games based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England; started operations in 2003, acquired a year later, and shuttered by 2008.
Games published
- BioShock (since 2007)
- Borderlands (since 2009)
- Civilization (since 2005)
- Mafia (since 2010)
- X-COM (since 2012)
- NBA 2K (since 2005)
- PGA Tour 2K (since 2018)
- WWE 2K (since 2013)
- Top Spin (2005–2011, returning since 2024)
Former
2K Games Launcher
In the year 2022, 2K introduced a proprietary PC game launcher coinciding with updates to the BioShock franchise, which allowed users to purchase downloadable content. The launcher encountered criticism for compatibility problems on Linux-based systems such as the Steam Deck. Additionally, it was reported to negatively impact performance for games including Marvel's Midnight Suns. Following widespread negative reactions, the company began discontinuing the launcher’s use by removing it from titles like Civilization VI, and confirmed it would be omitted entirely from Civilization VII. On November 18, 2024, the launcher was officially retired across both Steam and Epic Games platforms, enabling players to launch games directly and enhancing overall user experience.