ASCII Media Works

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This article is about the company formerly known as ASCII. for the ANSI standard, see ASCII.

ASCII Media Works logo.png
ASCII Media Works
Type Subsidiary of Kadokawa Future Publishing
Founded 1977 (ASCII)
1979 (ASCII Microsoft)
October 15, 1992 (Media Works)
April 1, 2008 (ASCII Media Works)
Headquarters Tokyo, Japan
Key people Kazuhiko Nishi, founder
Keiichiro Tsukamoto, founder
Industry Magazines, computer software, video games
Products Magazines, computer software, video games
Number of people 364
Website http://asciimw.jp/

ASCII Media Works is a media publisher and subsidiary of Kadokawa Future Publishing.

ASCII

ASCII was founded in 1977 by Kazuhiko Nishi and Keiichiro Tsukamoto.

ASCII Microsoft

Talks between Kazuhiko Nishi and Bill Gates led to the formation of ASCII Microsoft, the first overseas sales office of Microsoft in 1979.

In 1983, In 1983, ASCII and Microsoft introduced MSX.

In 1986, Microsoft opened its own sales office in Japan and dissolved its partnership with ASCII. ASCII Microsoft was absorbed into ASCII.

Investment by CSK Corporation

In 1997, CSK Corporation made a major investment in ASCII in 1997.

Media Works

On October 15, 1992, Kadokawa Group Holdings founded the publishing company Media Works.

Acquisition by Unison Capital Partners

On November 26, 2001, ASCII and CSK Corporation agreed to sell ASCII to Unison Capital Partners. ASCII became a fully owned subsidiary of Union Capital Partners on May 28, 2002.

Acquisition by Kadokawa Group Holdings

On January 29, 2004, Kadowawa Group Holdings announced that it would purchase ASCII. The sale was completed in March 2004.

ASCII Media Works

On April 1, 2008, the Kadowawa Group Holdings companies ASCII and Media Works merged to form ASCII Media Works, and was placed under the Kadokawa Future Publishing division.