Power A And Bandai Namco Celebrate Pac-Man’s 45th Anniversary With Gaming Gear
The yellow gobbler, Pac-Man turns 45 in 2025, and Power A has teamed up with Bandai Namco to pay homage and further build on the legacy of this classic game icon with licensed gear for Nintendo Switch and Xbox platforms coming this spring.
Pac-Man was initially released in Japan and North America by Namco in 1980 which changed the arcade gaming landscape at the time from space shooters to a maze-chase format. It also laid the groundwork for competitive gaming with players trying to become the first to beat the game.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Bandai Namco to deliver accessories that celebrate Pac-Man’s rich legacy while offering players both style and performance,” said Akio Strasser, Sr. Director of Global Marketing for Power A in a press release.
“While we’re keeping product details under wraps for now, fans can expect collectible, high-quality designs that honor the classic character’s timeless appeal.”
The Legacy of Pac-Man
Only a handful of games will boast the same longevity and impact on pop-culture like Pac-Man. The game’s popularity led to Hanna-Barbera’s Pac-Man cartoon series in 1982, making it one of the first video games adapted into a TV show.
Throughout the 80s, Pac-Man started the first high-score battles as players around the world competed for the top spot. It took until 1999 for the first player, American Billy Mitchell, to clear all the 256 levels and hit a perfect score of 3,333,360 points. Mitchell was 33 at the time.
The points record can’t be broken, only achieved faster. Since 1999 the world speed-record has been broken a few times and was most recently set by David Race in 2019 with a time of 3 hours, 28 minutes, and 49 seconds.
Pac-Man is the first video game to have a distinct mascot which paved the way for future characters like Mario and Sonic.
Pop-Culture Influence
Pac-Man has appeared on everything from T-shirts and sneakers to cereal and lunchboxes., limited-edition arcade cabinets, and collaborations show its lasting influence.
The game played a key role in Adam Sandler’s film Pixels (2015), where Pac-Man comes to life as an alien invader. In Wreck-It Ralph (2012), Pac-Man and Clyde (the orange ghost) make a brief appearance as part of the arcade gaming universe.
TV-shows like The Simpsons, South Park, and Family Guy have either had Pac-Man appear or referenced multiple times throughout the years. Modern artists like Eminem and Drake have mentioned Pac-Man in their lyrics.