# HAL Laboratory > Japanese video game developer **Wikidata**: [Q1068734](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1068734) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HAL_Laboratory) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/hal-laboratory ## Summary HAL Laboratory is a Japanese video game developer founded on February 21, 1980. The company is known for its work within the video game industry and has been affiliated with notable figures such as Masahiro Sakurai and former Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. It has also developed the Nintendo Switch system software. ## Key Facts - HAL Laboratory was founded on February 21, 1980. - It is a Japanese video game developer. - The company's official name includes 株式会社ハル研究所 and HAL Laboratory, Inc. - As of July 1, 2021, HAL Laboratory employed 205 individuals. - Its headquarters are located in Chiyoda, Japan. - Notable individuals affiliated with HAL Laboratory include Japanese video game designer Masahiro Sakurai and Japanese video game programmer and businessman Satoru Iwata. - HAL Laboratory developed the Nintendo Switch system software. - The company operates within the video game industry. ## FAQs ### Q: What is HAL Laboratory? A: HAL Laboratory is a Japanese video game developer. It specializes in the creation of video games and was founded in 1980. ### Q: When was HAL Laboratory founded? A: HAL Laboratory was founded on February 21, 1980. ### Q: Who are some notable individuals affiliated with HAL Laboratory? A: Notable individuals affiliated with HAL Laboratory include Japanese video game designer Masahiro Sakurai and Japanese video game programmer and businessman Satoru Iwata. ### Q: What software has HAL Laboratory developed? A: According to the provided information, HAL Laboratory developed the Nintendo Switch system software. ### Q: Where is HAL Laboratory headquartered? A: HAL Laboratory's headquarters are located in Chiyoda, Japan, specifically at 東京都千代田区神田須田町 1-22. ## Why It Matters HAL Laboratory holds significance as a long-standing Japanese video game developer, having been established in 1980. Its enduring presence in the video game industry highlights its contributions to the field over several decades. The company's importance is further underscored by its affiliation with highly influential figures in the gaming world, such as Masahiro Sakurai, a renowned video game designer, and Satoru Iwata, who was a prominent video game programmer, businessman, and later the President of Nintendo. This connection to key industry leaders suggests a role in shaping significant projects and innovations. Furthermore, its development of the Nintendo Switch system software indicates a foundational contribution to one of the most successful modern gaming platforms, impacting the user experience and functionality for millions of players globally. Its continued operation and growth, evidenced by its employee count, demonstrate its ongoing relevance and impact within the competitive video game landscape. ## Notable For - **Long-standing Japanese Developer**: Established in 1980, HAL Laboratory has a decades-long history as a video game developer based in Japan. - **Affiliation with Industry Leaders**: The company is notably affiliated with influential figures such as Masahiro Sakurai, a prominent video game designer, and Satoru Iwata, a former President of Nintendo. - **Development of Core System Software**: HAL Laboratory developed the Nintendo Switch system software, a critical component of a major modern gaming console. - **Growth in Workforce**: The company has shown growth in its workforce, with employee numbers increasing from 169 in 2019 to 205 in 2021. ## Body ### General Information HAL Laboratory is a Japanese video game developer. Its official names include 株式会社ハル研究所 and HAL Laboratory, Inc. The company is also known by aliases such as HALKEN, HAL Laboratory Inc., Hal America, HAL Kenkyūjo, HAL Laboratories, HAL Kenkyujo, ハル研, and HAL研. It is classified as a video game developer, which is a software development organization specializing in the creation of video games. ### History HAL Laboratory was founded on February 21, 1980. ### Operations The company's country of origin is Japan. Its headquarters are located in Chiyoda, Japan, with a specific address of 東京都千代田区神田須田町 1-22 and a postal code of 101-0041. The geographic coordinates for its headquarters are latitude 35.69469444 and longitude 139.77136111. HAL Laboratory operates within the video game industry. Its legal form is a kabushiki gaisha. The company's employee count was 169 as of July 1, 2019, and increased to 205 as of July 1, 2021. ### Affiliations HAL Laboratory has been affiliated with several notable individuals: - **Masahiro Sakurai**: A Japanese video game designer born in 1970. - **Satoru Iwata**: A Japanese video game programmer and businessman who lived from 1959 to 2015. Iwata was born on December 6, 1959, and held occupations including entrepreneur, game programmer, and video game producer. He was a citizen of Japan. ### Developed Software HAL Laboratory developed the Nintendo Switch system software, which is the proprietary operating system for the Nintendo Switch 1 and 2 consoles. ### Digital Presence and Identifiers HAL Laboratory maintains an official website at https://www.hallab.co.jp/. The company's Twitter handle is @HAL_Laboratory, which was established on May 21, 2015, and was a verified account. As of February 6, 2023, its Twitter account had 145,238 followers. Its YouTube channel handle is ハル研究所公式チャンネル (UCLvP0KyUXFTQyv3H87j2Wlg), with the channel created on January 6, 2016. Various identifiers for HAL Laboratory include: - VIAF ID: 126912998 - IDREF ID: 18411375X - VGMPF ID: HAL_Laboratory - WiKirby ID: HAL_Laboratory (ID 5607) - Freebase ID: /m/02vnb_ - TV Tropes ID: Creator/HalLaboratory - UVL Company ID: 611 - VGC Company ID: 611 - Reddit Topic ID: hal_laboratory - VGMdb Artist ID: 6316 - Wikipedia Title: HAL Laboratory (available in multiple languages) - VGMdb Organization ID: 1571 - Media Arts Database ID: C44739 - TheGamesDB Developer ID: 3694 - Corporate Number (Japan): 8010001026663 - SNESmusic.org Company ID: 63 - VideoGameGeek Company ID: 11900 - Visual Novel Database ID: p415 - Crunchbase Organization ID: hal-laboratory - GamesIndustry.biz Tag ID: companies/hal-laboratory - Giant Bomb ID (former scheme): 3010-753 - Internet Game Database Company ID: hal-laboratory - Bibliothèque Nationale de France ID: 14243034x - MobyGames Company ID (former scheme): hal-laboratory-inc - LaunchBox Games Database Developer ID: 72 - Generation MSX Company or Demo Group ID: 19 ## References 1. LastDodo 2. MusicBrainz 3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 4. [Source](https://www.hallab.co.jp/company/profile/) 5. VideoGameGeek 6. YouTube API 7. [HAL Laboratory - WiKirby: it's a wiki, about Kirby!](https://wikirby.com/wiki/HAL_Laboratory) 8. Video Games Chronicle