May 22 is Pac-Man's birthday! A project to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his birth is being developed on a global scale!

NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. has announced a worldwide project to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the birth of "Pac-Man.

Pac-Man" was released in 1980 as an arcade game machine. It has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the "most successful arcade game machine. The game became popular not only in Japan but also in the U.S., and in the 1980s, it developed into an unprecedented phenomenon known as "Pac-Man fever. According to Bandai Namco Entertainment's own research, "Pac-Man" has a 98% name recognition in the U.S. and over 90% in many other countries and regions.

Today, May 22, 2020 (Friday), "Pac-Man" will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Various projects to commemorate this anniversary are underway on a global scale. Currently, the company has designated this year as the 40th anniversary year of "Pac-Man," and has already begun projects to make "Pac-Man" more familiar to the public. In addition, a new "PAC-MAN LIVE STUDIO" for the "PAC-MAN" series is being developed in collaboration with Amazon Games. Collaborations with famous artists, such as the release of an anniversary compilation album, are also in the works.

Please check out some of the projects below. The full details can be found on the official Pac-Man website.

PAC-MAN 40th Anniversary Project Lineup

New game "PAC-MAN LIVE STUDIO" to be distributed on Twitch

A new game in collaboration with Amazon Games will soon be distributed on Twitch, a live-streaming platform popular among game users around the world. The game will feature a Live mode where players can aim for high scores in 4-player team battles, a Studio mode where players can freely create their own stages, and a Classic mode where players can challenge the world rankings in the original Pac-Man game. A special page is also available.

Pac-Man" 40th Anniversary Compilation Album Available Now!

Pacman" 40th anniversary compilation album will be released in the fall of 2020! The album will feature the official 40th anniversary theme track "JOIN THE PAC" by world-renowned techno artist KEN ISHII, as well as a variety of songs inspired by Pac-Man sounds.

The cover design was created by The Designers Republic (UK) and mastered by Yoshinori Sunahara (formerly of Electric Groove), and the CD will also include a number of well-known artists from Japan and abroad to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Pac-Man. Prior to the CD release, a split single by the participating artists will be made available for downloading from today. For details, please check here.

Launched the "Old Firms and Asobi Project" to support Japan's long-established businesses.

Under the catchphrase "Tradition is a succession of innovations," Pacman, which has been innovating for 40 years, has started a collaboration project to support traditional Japanese culture, which is evolving day by day. Under production by Starmark Corporation, the project's planner and producer, products and services created in collaboration with long-established brands from around Japan will be announced and released sequentially from summer 2020 onward. Details of the project will be announced on the official PAC-MAN website.

Pac-Man Tamagotchi to Commemorate 40th Anniversary

In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of "PAC-MAN," a collaboration with "Tamagotchi" has finally been realized. Pac-Man" will help "Tamagotchi" take care of the "Pac-Man". In addition to the animation of Tamagotchi eating cherries and being chased by ghosts, the game also features the familiar Pac-Man soundtrack. Two original mini-games inspired by Pac-Man can also be enjoyed. The design is available in yellow and black. A deluxe set that includes a "Pac-Man"-shaped case will also be available for purchase.

Collaboration Campaign for the TV animation "Tensei Takera De Slyme Natta Tekken

A collaboration campaign has started between the two main characters who share the common characteristics of "predation" and "eating! The official portal site of the TV anime "Tensei Tara Slymu Datta Datta Koto", the second season of which will be broadcast from October 2020, has opened a "Tensura Store" where Tensura and Pacman collaboration goods are available for purchase, including T-shirts and caps in limited quantities.

In addition, Twitter icons commemorating the collaboration will be distributed on the special site from May 28 (Thu.), and a "collaboration game" will be available on the official portal site from June 2 (Tue.). The game features the same gameplay as "PAC-MAN," but the items in the game have been changed to those from the "Tensura" world. In addition, a short story written by Fuse, the author of the original story, will be released when the total number of challenges exceeds 66,610 (Rimuru Ten), referring to the name of Rimuru-Tempest, the main character of "Tensura.

Pac-Man" 40th Anniversary Campaign on BNE's Official Twitter

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of "PAC-MAN," a follow and retweet campaign will be held on the official BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Twitter from May 23 (Sat.).

Conditions for participation:

1. Follow the official Twitter account of NAMCO BANDAI Games Entertainment Inc.

Retweet the target tweets.

Period: May 23 (Sat) 18:30 - May 31 (Sun) 18:30 (tentative)
Details of the prizes

Prize A: PAC-STORE Big Hoodie (Black) (ONE SIZE) x 5 winners

Prize B: Amazon gift certificate worth 500 yen x 10 winners

Prize C: "PAC-MAN" 40th anniversary sticker x 100 winners

*This event is subject to change or cancellation without prior notice.

*For details, please check the official Twitter.

PAC-MAN(TM)&(C)BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.