Third-party T-series codes

From Sega Retro

When Sega was producing video game hardware, the company used T-series codes to identify officially licensed third party publishers for its systems. T-series codes typically appear on the boxes and/or media of third-party Sega software, in a similar manner to how official G-series or MK-series identifers are displayed.

T-series codes came into use during the late 1980s and were issued until the mid-2000s. Prior to this there were relatively few third-party publishers and no official identification system - Sega typically published all SG-1000 and Sega Master System games (notable exceptions include Salio and various Western companies involved in SC-3000 development), however this changed by the release of the Sega Mega Drive. The first T-series codes appeared publically in 1989.

The first two (or three) digits after the T represent the publisher. Any numbers after this represent the specific release, and a letter on the end specifies a console (the latter not coming into use until the mid-90s).

Not all publishers followed these rules, most notably Electronic Arts which did not show its T-series code on Mega Drive releases.

Within games

Mega Drive ROM headers of games developed by a third party (except those that Sega contracts out, such as Nextech) usually contain a field stating the T-series code. For example, the sixteen bytes at offset $110 (hex) of game ROMs would usually look like one of

(C)SEGA year.mon
(C)T-xx year.mon
(C)T-xxxyear.mon
(C)Txxx year.mon

Not all third party developers/publishers have followed these rules; for example, Psygnosis, Kaneko, Taito, and Treco have placed their company name in the field on several occasions.

List

T-Code Company
T-11 Taito
T-12 Capcom
T-13 Data East
T-14 Namco
T-15 Sunsoft
T-16 Ma-Ba
T-17 Dempa
T-18 Technosoft
T-20 Asmik
T-20 Asmik Ace Entertainment
T-21 ASCII
T-22 Micronet
T-23 VIC Tokai
T-24 Sammy
T-24 Treco
T-25 Nippon Computer Systems
T-26 Sigma
T-27 Toho
T-28 HOT-B
T-29 Kyugo
T-30 Video System
T-31 SNK
T-32 Wolf Team
T-33 Kaneko
T-33 Kaneko USA
T-34 DreamWorks
T-35 Seismic Software
T-36 Tecmo
T-40 Toaplan
T-41 UNIPACC
T-42 UPL
T-43 Human
T-44 Sanritsu
T-44 SIMS
T-45 Game Arts
T-46 Kodansha Research Institute
T-47 Sage's Creation
T-48 Tengen
T-48 Time Warner Interactive
T-49 Nihon Telenet
T-49 Micro World
T-50 Electronic Arts
T-51 Microcabin
T-52 SystemSoft Alpha
T-53 Riverhillsoft
T-54 Face
T-55 Nuvision Entertainment
T-56 RazorSoft
T-57 Jaleco
T-58 Visco
T-60 Victor Musical Industries
T-60 Victor Entertainment
T-60 Victor Soft
T-61 Wonder Amusement Studio
T-62 Sony Imagesoft
T-63 Toshiba EMI
T-64 Information Global Service
T-65 Tsukuda Original
T-66 Compile
T-67 Magical
T-68 CSK Research Institute
T-69 Arena Entertainment
T-70 Virgin Interactive
T-71 Nihon Bussan
T-72 Varie
T-73 Soft Vision
T-73 Coconuts Japan
T-74 PALSOFT
T-75 Pony Canyon
T-76 Koei
T-77 Takeru
T-79 U.S. Gold
T-81 Acclaim Entertainment
T-81 Flying Edge
T-83 GameTek
T-84 Datawest
T-85 PCM Complete
T-86 Absolute Entertainment
T-87 The Software Toolworks
T-87 Mindscape
T-88 Domark
T-89 Parker Brothers
T-91 Pack-In-Video
T-91 Victor Interactive Software
T-92 Polydor
T-93 Sony Electronic Publishing
T-95 Konami
T-97 Tradewest
T-97 Williams Entertainment
T-97 Midway Home Entertainment
T-99 Success
T-100 THQ
T-100 Black Pearl Software
T-101 TecMagik Entertainment
T-103 Takara
T-104 MicroProse
T-105 Shogakukan Production
T-106 Electronic Arts Victor
T-107 Electro Brain
T-109 Saddleback Graphics
T-110 Dynamix
T-111 American Laser Games
T-112 Hi-Tech Expressions
T-113 Psygnosis
T-114 T&E Soft
T-115 Core Design
T-118 Compton's NewMedia
T-119 Accolade
T-120 Codemasters
T-121 ReadySoft
T-122 HeartBeat Corporation
T-123 Gremlin Interactive
T-124 Spectrum HoloByte
T-125 Interplay
T-126 Maxis
T-127 Working Designs
T-130 Activision
T-132 Playmates Interactive Entertainment
T-133 Bandai
T-135 Capitol Disc Interactive
T-137 ASC Games
T-139 Viacom New Media
T-141 Toei Video
T-143 Hudson Soft
T-144 Atlus
T-145 Sony Music Entertainment Japan
T-147 Sansan
T-149 Nisshouiwai Infocom
T-150 Imadio
T-150 Imagineer
T-151 Infogrames
T-152 Davidson & Associates
T-153 Rocket Science Games
T-154 Technōs Japan
T-157 Angel
T-159 Crystal Dynamics
T-160 Sales Curve Interactive
T-161 Fox Interactive
T-162 Digital Pictures
T-164 Ocean Software
T-165 Seta
T-166 Altron
T-167 ASK Kodansha
T-168 Athena
T-169 Gakken
T-170 General Entertainment
T-174 Glams
T-176 ASCII Something Good
T-177 Ubisoft
T-178 Hitachi
T-180 BMG Japan
T-180 BMG Interactive
T-181 Obunsha
T-182 Thinking Cap
T-185 Gaga Communications
T-186 SoftBank
T-187 Pionesoft
T-187 Naxat Soft
T-188 Spike
T-188 MAXBET
T-189 KAZe
T-193 Sega Yonezawa
T-194 We Net
T-195 Datam Polystar
T-197 KID
T-198 Epoch
T-199 Ving
T-200 Yoshimoto Kogyo
T-201 NEC Interchannel
T-202 Sonnet Computer Entertainment
T-203 Game Studio
T-204 Psikyo
T-205 Media Entertainment
T-206 Banpresto
T-207 Ecseco Development
T-208 Bullet-Proof Software
T-209 Sieg
T-210 Yanoman
T-212 Oz Club
T-213 Nihon Create
T-214 Media Rings Corporation
T-215 Shoeisha
T-216 OPeNBooK
T-217 Hakuhodo
T-218 Aroma
T-219 Societa Daikanyama
T-219 Societa
T-220 Arc System Works
T-221 Climax Entertainment
T-222 Pioneer
T-223 Tokuma Shoten
T-224 I'MAX
T-226 Shogakukan
T-227 Vantan International
T-229 Titus
T-230 LucasArts
T-231 Pai
T-232 Reindeer
T-232 Ecole Software
T-233 Nayuta
T-234 Bandai Visual
T-235 Quintet
T-239 Disney Interactive
T-240 9003
T-240 OPeNBooK9003
T-241 Multisoft
T-242 Sky Think System
T-243 OCC
T-246 Increment P
T-249 King Records
T-250 Fun House
T-251 Patra
T-252 Inner Brain
T-253 Make Software
T-254 GT Interactive Software
T-255 Kodansha
T-255 Hakusensha
T-257 Clef
T-259 C-Seven
T-260 Fujitsu Parex
T-261 Xing Entertainment
T-264 Media Quest
T-267 Bethesda Softworks
T-268 Wooyoung System
T-270 Nihon System
T-271 Scholar
T-273 Datt Japan
T-278 MediaWorks
T-279 Kadokawa Shoten
T-280 Elf
T-282 Tomy
T-289 KSS
T-290 Mainichi Communications
T-291 Warashi
T-292 Metro Corporation
T-293 Sai-Mate
T-294 Kokopeli Digital Studios
T-296 Planning Office Wada
T-297 Telstar Electronic Studios
T-300 Kumon Publishing
T-300 Warp
T-303 Masudaya
T-306 Soft Office
T-307 Empire Interactive
T-308 Sada Soft
T-308 Genki
T-309 Neverland
T-310 Shar Rock
T-311 Natsume
T-312 Nexus Interact
T-313 Aplix Corporation
T-314 Omiya Soft
T-315 JVC
T-316 Zoom
T-321 TEN Institute
T-322 Fujitsu
T-325 TGL
T-326 Red Entertainment
T-328 Waka Manufacturing
T-329 Treasure
T-330 Tokuma Shoten Intermedia
T-331 Sonic! Software Planning
T-339 Sting
T-340 Chunsoft
T-341 Syn Sophia
T-342 From Software
T-346 Daiki
T-348 Aspect
T-350 Micro Vision
T-351 Gainax
T-354 FortyFive
T-355 Enix
T-356 Ray Corporation
T-357 Tonkin House
T-360 Outrigger
T-361 B-Factory
T-362 Layup
T-363 Axela
T-364 WorkJam
T-365 Nihon Syscom
T-367 FOG
T-368 Eidos Interactive
T-369 UEP Systems
T-370 Shouei System
T-371 GMF
T-373 ADK
T-374 Softstar Entertainment
T-375 Nexton
T-376 Denshi Media Services
T-379 Takuyo
T-380 Starlight Marry
T-381 Crystal Vision
T-382 Kamata and Partners
T-383 AquaPlus
T-384 Media Gallop
T-385 Culture Brain
T-386 Locus
T-387 Entertainment Software Publishing
T-388 NEC Home Electronics
T-390 Pulse Interactive
T-391 Random House
T-394 Vivarium
T-395 Studio Mebius
T-396 Panther Software
T-397 TBS
T-398 NetVillage
T-400 Noisia
T-400 Vision
T-401 Shangri-La
T-402 Crave Entertainment
T-403 Metro3D
T-404 Majesco Entertainment
T-405 Take-Two Interactive
T-406 Hasbro Interactive
T-407 Rage Games
T-408 Marvelous Entertainment
T-409 Bottom Up
T-410 Daikoku Denki
T-411 Sunrise Interactive
T-412 Bimboosoft
T-413 U.F.O. Interactive
T-414 Mattel Interactive
T-415 CaramelPot
T-416 Vatical Entertainment
T-417 Ripcord Games
T-418 Sega Toys
T-419 Gathering of Developers
T-421 Rockstar Games
T-422 Winkysoft
T-423 CyberFront
T-424 DaZZ
T-428 Kobi
T-429 Fujicom
T-433 Real Vision
T-434 Visit
T-435 Global A Entertainment
T-438 Studio Wonder Effect
T-439 Media Factory
T-443 Agetec
T-444 Abel
T-445 Softmax
T-446 Isao
T-447 Kool Kizz
T-448 GeneX
T-449 Xicat Interactive
T-450 Swing! Entertainment
T-451 Yuke's
T-454 AAA Game
T-455 TV Asahi
T-456 Crazy Games
T-457 Atmark
T-458 Hackberry
T-460 AIA
T-461 Starfish-SD
T-462 Idea Factory
T-463 Broccoli
T-465 PrincessSoft
T-466 Bigben Interactive
T-467 G.rev
T-469 Symbio Planning
T-471 Alchemist
T-473 SNK Playmore
T-474 D3Publisher
T-475 Rain Software
T-476 Good Navigate
T-477 Alfa System
T-478 Milestone
T-479 Triangle Service

Others

T-Code Publisher (Label/Team/Alias)
T-38 Mediagenic?
(only found in the ROM header for Fatman, which was published by Sanritsu (T-44))
T-172 EA Sports?
(later EA Sports Mega Drive titles have T-172 serial numbers in their ROM headers...)

References