Comic-Con Museum To Induct Pac-Man To Character Hall Of Fame

SAN DIEGO, CA — The Comic-Con Museum will induct its second character into its Character Hall of Fame Thursday — the dot-gobbling, ghost-dodging Pac-Man — as the game celebrates its 40th anniversary.

The Comic-Con Museum Character Hall of Fame "aims to recognize the contributions of timeless icons who have made a significant impact on comics as well as popular arts and culture."

Pac-Man is one of the longest-running video game franchises in history and — according to the museum — signaled a shift in video game storytelling as well as character development. The character has been featured in music, television, film and more.

After being created by Toru Iwatani, a Japanese game designer, the game was first released in Tokyo in May 1980 and made its debut in the United States in October of the same year. Pac-Man joins Batman — the first character inducted when the Character Hall of Fame began in 2019.

"We thought Pac-Man would be the perfect addition to the Museum Character Hall of Fame because he inspires a sense of nostalgia in many of us and even though he is turning 40, he is still highly relevant in pop culture today," said Eddie Ibrahim, senior director of programming for the Comic-Con Museum. "Characters tell the stories of pop culture and what better time, when we are more digital than ever, to honor our first digital character."

As of 2016, the Pac-Man series had generated more than $14 billion in revenue and is considered by many to be one of the most influential video games of all time for its simple yet complex approach to restructuring video game narratives. It took nearly 20 years for anyone to complete a perfect game — finishing with no lives lost and the maximum number of points from each level.

The game's creation came from Iwatani's desire to make video games more accessible to wider audiences by exploring themes beyond battleships and war scenarios. It is credited with introducing non-violent gaming.

"Pac-Man's enduring popularity and relevance speak volumes to his position as an icon in the video game and pop culture worlds," said Dennis Lee, director of brand marketing at Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. "As Pac-Man enters his 40s, he's still entertaining millions of fans around the globe with new video games and products featuring his likeness."

The online induction celebration will be held Thursday from 4-6 p.m. and will consist of a combination of interactive live stream elements and pre- recorded content and videos. The celebration will feature discussions and segments featuring game developers as well as fans who share a love of Pac-Man and have been inspired by him in some way.

For more information and to register to attend the induction, please visit donate.comic-conmuseum.org/pacman.

The nonprofit Comic-Con Museum celebrates the ongoing contributions of comics and popular art forms. It is a division of the San Diego Comic Convention.

Located in San Diego's Balboa Park, the museum is offering online programming as it prepares to open its physical location in 2021.

— City News Service