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Visual Concepts

Video game developer · United States · Active

Visual Concepts

Founded in 1988

107
games developed
0
games published
0
in development

History of Visual Concepts

Visual Concepts was founded in May 1988 in Novato, California, by programmer Scott Patterson and brothers Greg and Jeff Thomas, who started out in a small office above a bank. Its first games, in 1989, were for the Apple IIGS computer, including Gnarly Golf. In the early 1990s it worked on NES, Game Boy and Super NES titles such as Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf (1992), ClayFighter (1993) and Lester the Unlikely (1994).

Several employees left during those years to start studios of their own: Cary Hammer founded Unexpected Development in 1992, and in 1994 another group set up Tiburon Entertainment to take over the Madden NFL series, which Visual Concepts had worked on. Electronic Arts took a stake in the company in 1995. Sega announced its plan to buy the studio in 1997 and closed the deal on 18 May 1999, the year NBA 2K and NFL 2K launched on the Dreamcast.

In January 2005 Take-Two Interactive bought the studio, its subsidiary Kush Games and the 2K intellectual property from Sega. The next day Take-Two unveiled its 2K label, which has managed the studio ever since. Visual Concepts focused on sport: a new NBA 2K every year and, from WWE 2K14 onwards, the wrestling games, at first alongside Yuke's. A 2009 GameQuarry study of Metacritic scores ranked it the most consistent developer, and in 2018 Greg Thomas received the Industry Icon award at The Game Awards.

It remains in Novato as part of 2K, owned by Take-Two Interactive. In 2021 2K bought HookBang's game division, which had already worked on NBA 2K, and renamed it Visual Concepts Austin; that team was hit by layoffs in 2024. In 2023 the studio also made Lego 2K Drive. Its most recent games are NBA 2K26 (2025) and WWE 2K26 (2026).

Milestones

  1. 1988

    Scott Patterson and Greg and Jeff Thomas found Visual Concepts in Novato.

  2. 1989

    Its first games, for the Apple IIGS.

  3. 1999

    Sega completes its purchase; NBA 2K and NFL 2K on Dreamcast.

  4. 2005

    Take-Two buys the studio and creates the 2K label.

  5. 2013

    WWE 2K14, alongside Yuke's.

  6. 2018

    Greg Thomas receives the Industry Icon award at The Game Awards.

  7. 2021

    Visual Concepts Austin is set up.

  8. 2023

    Lego 2K Drive.

  9. 2026

    WWE 2K26.

Its best-known games

Every game it has developed (107)

2026

  • NBA 2K27 Series X|S, Switch 2, PC, PS5
  • WWE 2K26 Series X|S, Switch 2, PC, PS5

2025

  • NBA 2K26 Series X|S, PS4, Switch 2, PC
  • WWE 2K25 Series X|S, PS4, Switch 2, PC

2024

  • NBA 2K25 Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5
  • WWE 2K24 Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5

2023

  • NBA 2K24 Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5
  • LEGO 2K Drive Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5
  • WWE 2K23 Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5

2022

  • NBA 2K23 Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5
  • WWE 2K22 Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5

2021

  • NBA 2K22 Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5

2020

  • NBA 2K21 Stadia, Series X|S, PS4, PC

2019

  • WWE 2K20 PS4, PC, XONE
  • NBA 2K20 Stadia, PS4, PC, iOS

2018

  • NBA 2K19 PS4, PC, iOS, XONE

2017

  • WWE 2K18 PS4, PC, XONE, Switch
  • NBA 2K18 PS3, X360
  • NBA 2K18 PS4, Android, PC, iOS

2016

  • WWE 2K17 PS3, PS4, PC, X360
  • NBA 2K17 PS3, PS4, PC, X360

2015

2014

  • WWE 2K15 PS3, PS4, PC, X360
  • NBA 2K15 PS3, PS4, PC, X360

2013

  • WWE 2K14 PS3, X360
  • NBA 2K14 PS3, PS4, Android, PC
  • MLB 2K13 PS3, X360

2012

  • NBA 2K13 PS3, Wii, Android, PC
  • Major League Baseball 2K12 PS3, Wii, PC, PSP

2011

  • NBA 2K12 OnLive, PS3, PC, X360
  • NBA 2K12 iOS
  • NBA 2K12 PSP
  • Major League Baseball 2K11 PS3, Wii, PC, PSP

2010

  • NBA 2K11 OnLive, PS3, Wii, PC
  • NHL 2K11 Wii
  • Major League Baseball 2K10 PS3, Wii, PC, Vita

2009

  • NBA 2K10 PS3, Wii, PC, PSP
  • NHL 2K10 PS2
  • NHL 2K10 PS3, X360
  • NHL 2K10 Wii
  • NBA 2K10: Draft Combine PS3, X360
  • Major League Baseball 2K9 PS3, Wii, PC, PSP

2008

  • NBA 2K9 PS3, PC, X360
  • NBA 2K9 PS2
  • NHL 2K9 PS3, Wii, X360, PS2

2007

  • College Hoops 2K8 PS3, X360, PS2
  • NBA 2K8 PS3, X360
  • NBA 2K8 PS2
  • NHL 2K8 PS3, X360, PS2
  • All-Pro Football 2K8 PS3, X360
  • Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer PS3, Wii, X360, PS2

2006

  • College Hoops 2K7 XBOX, PS3, X360, PS2
  • NBA 2K7 PS3, X360
  • NBA 2K7 XBOX, PS3, PS2
  • NHL 2K7 XBOX, PS3, X360, PS2
  • Major League Baseball 2K6 X360
  • Major League Baseball 2K6 PSP
  • Major League Baseball 2K6 XBOX, NGC, PS2

2005

  • NBA 2K6 X360
  • College Hoops 2K6 XBOX, X360, PS2
  • NBA 2K6 XBOX, PS2
  • NHL 2K6 XBOX, X360, PS2
  • Major League Baseball 2K5 XBOX, PS2

2004

  • ESPN College Hoops 2K5 XBOX, PS2
  • ESPN NBA 2K5 XBOX, PS2
  • ESPN NFL 2K5 XBOX, PS2
  • ESPN Major League Baseball XBOX, PS2
  • ESPN MLB Baseball XBOX, PS2

2003

  • ESPN NBA Basketball XBOX, PS2
  • ESPN NHL Hockey XBOX, PS2
  • ESPN NFL Football XBOX, PS2
  • World Series Baseball 2K3 XBOX, PS2

2002

  • NCAA College Basketball 2K3 XBOX, NGC, PS2
  • ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth XBOX
  • NBA 2K3 XBOX, NGC, PS2
  • NFL 2K3 XBOX, NGC, PS2
  • NCAA College Football 2K3 XBOX, NGC, PS2
  • World Series Baseball XBOX

2001

  • NBA 2K2 XBOX, NGC, DC, PS2
  • NFL 2K2 XBOX, DC, PS2
  • Ooga Booga DC
  • World Series Baseball 2K2 DC
  • Floigan Bros. DC

2000

  • NBA 2K1 DC
  • NFL 2K1 DC
  • NHL 2K DC

1999

  • NBA 2K DC
  • NFL 2K DC

1997

  • One PS3, PS1, PSP
  • NBA Action 98 PC, Saturn

1996

  • NHL 97 Saturn, PS1

1995

  • Toughman Contest Sega32, Genesis/MegaDrive
  • WeaponLord SNES, Genesis/MegaDrive

1994

  • Dominus SNES, Genesis/MegaDrive, DOS
  • ClayFighter: Tournament Edition SNES
  • Lester the Unlikely SNES, SFAM

1993

  • Madden NFL '94 SNES, Genesis/MegaDrive
  • Claymates SNES
  • ClayFighter SNES, Wii, Genesis/MegaDrive, Jaguar
  • We're Back!: A Dinosaur's Story SNES, DOS
  • Taz-Mania SNES
  • Harley's Humongous Adventure SNES, SFAM

1992

  • McDonaldland Game Boy
  • Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Game Boy

1990

  • Designasaurus II DOS