Pac-Man
A maze arcade game released in Japan on May 22, 1980 that has earned over $14 billion.
Namco released Pac-Man in Japan on May 22, 1980. Midway Manufacturing released it in North America in October 1980. Toru Iwatani led a nine-person team, and development began in early 1979.
Iwatani wanted a game that would appeal to women as well as men. The original title was Puck Man. Namco changed it to Pac-Man for North America because it feared vandals would change the name on cabinets.
Why it matters
Pac-Man remains one of the highest-grossing and best-selling video games, with more than $14 billion in revenue as of 2016 and 43 million units sold.
Key facts
- Released in Japan on May 22, 1980.
- Designed by Toru Iwatani and a nine-person team.
- Released in North America in October 1980.
- Originally titled Puck Man.
- More than $14 billion in revenue as of 2016.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Pac-Man", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-Man, accessed October 14, 2026.
- Wikipedia, "Namco", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namco, background reading, accessed October 14, 2026.