Now known as Bandai Namco Entertainment, the history of Namco stretches all the way back to 1955, when founder Masaya Nakamura established a company called Nakamura Manufacturing, creating amusement rides for department stores.
Nakamura passed away on January 22 at age 91, and Bandai Namco made the news of his death public today in an official statement.
Games like Ridge Racer, Tekken, and SoulCalibur made a major splash for Namco, paving the way for its 2005 merging with rival company Bandai.