Sega Games Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational video game software developer and arcade company headquartered in Japan who are best recognised for the Sonic the Hedgehog, Virtua Fighter, Yakuza and Puyo Puyo franchises. On October 2004, the pachinko company Sammy Corporation acquired a controlling share in Sega at a cost of $1.1 billion, creating the consolidated holdings company Sega Sammy. Sega and Sammy became subsidiaries of Sega Sammy Holdings, with Sega and Sammy operating independently whilst the executives of both companies govern the Sega Sammy Group.