2K (company)

2K is an American video game publisher based in Novato, California. The company was founded as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive in January 2005 through the 2K Games and 2K Sports sub-labels. The nascent label incorporated several development studios owned by Take-Two, including Visual Concepts and Kush Games, which had been acquired the day before. Originally based in New York City, 2K moved to Novato in 2007. A third label, 2K Play, was added in September 2007. 2K is governed by David Ismailer as president and Phil Dixon as chief operating officer. It operates motion capture studio in Petaluma, California. On January 24, 2005, Take-Two Interactive announced its acquisition of Visual Concepts, the developer of sports video game series like NBA 2K, NHL 2K, and NHL 2K. Take-Two paid Sega for the studio, including its Kush Games subsidiary and the intellectual property of the 2K series. On the following day, the company established the 2K publishing label, consisting of the sub-labels 2K Games and 2K Sports, with the latter focusing on sports games. Visual Concepts and Kush Games, alongside Indie Built, Venom Games, PopTop Software, and Frog City Software, became studios of the new label, which also absorbed the staff of Take-Two Licensing. In January 2006, the administration and marketing portions of 2K's New York City offices were heavily damaged by a five-alarm fire. In June 2007, the company closed these offices and relocated to Novato, California, bringing it closer to Visual Concepts. A third sub-label, 2K Play, was established with a focus on casual games in September 2007, with Take-Two announcing a partnership with Nickelodeon for licensed games based on the latter's TV shows. 2K Play therein also absorbed all assets of Take-Two's budget-range publisher Global Star Software, including the studio Cat Daddy Games, the game Carnival Games, and games based on Deal or No Deal. In January 2013, 2K obtained the rights to publish video games based on the professional wrestling company WWE.