The Animation Academy: From Pencils to Pixels
PAC-MAN Arcade
Born on May 22, 1980, PAC-MAN immediately rose to meteoric popularity, first in video game arcades, then on the pop culture stage, and later through an array of branding and entertainment appearances throughout the 1980s and 1990s. With a worldwide brand recognition rate of over 90%, PAC-MAN continues to be one of the most recognized images and brands on the planet. Featuring a simple pick-up-and-play yet challenging-to-master gameplay design, PAC-MAN was deliberately designed to buck the trend of arcade games that were commonly focused on attracting male players. Instead, PAC-MAN was created to appeal to both male and female players and to be appropriate for players of all ages. These core design principles contributed to making PAC-MAN the family-friendly character he is today and delivering on his goal of bringing more fun to everyone no matter their gender or age.
Having celebrated his 40th anniversary last year in 2020, PAC-MAN commemorated this milestone anniversary with an array of brand integrations and partnerships including an appearance in Minecraft® through a special DLC package, a new theme song composed by world-renowned Japanese techno artist Ken Ishii entitled “JOIN THE PAC”, and topping the 40th anniversary celebrations with his excited induction in the San Diego Comic-Con Museum Character Hall of Fame.
Today, PAC-MAN continues to entertain and delight his legions of fans, both young and old. He’s currently starring in an array of new games including PAC-MAN 99 and PAC-MAN MEGA TUNNEL BATTLE for home console systems and PC and in PAC-MAN for both iOS and Android mobile devices. PAC-MAN participated in the UN’s Green Game Jam 2021 via his PAC-MAN iOS and Android mobile app where he seeks to influence over 1 million players to be more aware of the environmental challenges we face and to support a petition urging world leaders to protect forests as a key line of defense against climate change.
The future for PAC-MAN is truly bright as he continues to deliver fun and entertainment to an ever growing number of fans of all ages through more games and products.
Exhibit Contact: Denny Chiu: dchiu@bnea.com
Director of Corporate Communications, BNEA
Cover Story: Five Decades of Comic-Con
Opening February 4, 2023
A look at the over 50 year history of Comic-Con International featuring illustrations by some of the most famous comic book artists, including Milton Caniff, Rick Geary, Jack Kirby, Jim Lee, and Dave Stevens.
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