The company set up a base in Las Vegas, where it still operates from today, and began to use Konami's extensive wealth and experience to produce casino content. In 1997 it opened Konami Gaming, Inc., a subsidiary focusing on slot machines and casino management systems. It made sense, then, that Konami started to produce coin-operated casino games – the only curious thing was that it took them so long. They first released an arcade video game in 1978, and they backed this up with hits such as Space King and Track & Field that quickly became staples of arcades in the company's native Japan and beyond. Trace a line back through the company's history, though, and you'll see that coin-operated games were how Konami became famous. Konami is one of the biggest names in the global gaming industry, producing world-famous hits like Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid since the 1970s, but it's no surprise if you haven't heard much about its casino games.
