The Year-Long Celebration Kicks off in 2020 as the Famous 80’s Icon Celebrates 40 Years of Entertaining Millions of Fans Around the World
SANTA CLARA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Leading interactive entertainment company BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc. today invites PAC-MAN fans around the world to “Join the PAC” and start getting ready for a year-long celebration in 2020 to commemorate PAC-MAN’s 40th Anniversary as a pop culture and video game icon. To get a sneak peek at the activities, partnerships, and surprises to come, please visit https://www.pacman.com/en-us/ or stop by this weekend at the PAC-MAN exhibit at ComplexCon taking place on November 2nd and 3rd at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center in Long Beach, California.
Born on May 22, 1980, PAC-MAN immediately rose to meteoric popularity, first in video game arcades, then on the pop culture stage with hit song “PAC-MAN Fever” and through an array of branding and entertainment appearances. With a brand recognition rate of 90% around the world, PAC-MAN’s image and brand is one of the most recognized on the planet and is as strong as ever as he enters his 40th year of entertaining fans of all ages. PAC-MAN’s 40th Anniversary celebration in 2020 will include the debut of a new PAC-MAN 40th Anniversary theme song, composed by world-renowned Japanese Techno artist Ken Ishii. It will be accompanied by a music video directed by Yuichi Kodama, who has won awards at the Cannes International Advertising Festival, the Clio Awards, and the One Show Interactive. He was also the chief video director for the flag handover ceremony at the Rio Olympics Closing Ceremony. Multiple branding cross-overs with Kipling®, Champion®, TIMEX®, and BAIT® will become available throughout the year. Fans will also be able to “Join the PAC” at celebratory events taking place throughout the year around the world.
“Everyone at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment is extremely proud and excited to celebrate 40 years of PAC-MAN, not just a video game icon, but a true cultural icon,” said Chris Gilbert, Senior Vice President of Sales and General Manager at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “2020 will be a monumental year as we celebrate PAC-MAN’s birthday all year long with ground-breaking brand partnerships, a new theme song, and engaging events around the globe.”
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., part of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc., is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for all major video game consoles, iOS, Android, and online platforms. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises including PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®. BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. is the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime based video games including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, DRAGON BALL Z®, and ONE PIECE®. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com or www.facebook.com/BandaiNamcoUS.
About Kipling
Founded in 1987, Kipling is a bags, accessories and luggage brand that represents 80’s pop culture just like PAC-MAN. Celebrating PAC-MAN’s 40th anniversary, 2020 SS collection will see a brand cross-over. Playful items with PAC-MAN characters and fruits will launch across the world in January 2020.
About Champion®
Since 1919, Champion Athleticwear has offered a full line of innovative athletic apparel for men and women including activewear, sweats, tees, sports bras, team uniforms and accessories. Champion uses innovative design and state-of-the-art product testing to ensure uncompromised quality and innovative apparel for our consumers. Champion Athleticwear can be purchased at department stores, sporting goods, specialty retailers, and at Champion.com. For more information, please contact us at 1-800-315-0563 or at Facebook.com/Champion. Follow us on Twitter @Championusa or on Instagram @Champion. Champion is a brand of Hanesbrands Inc. (NYSE:HBI).
About Timex Group
Timex Group designs, manufactures and markets innovative timepieces around the world. Timex Group is a privately-held company headquartered in Middlebury, Connecticut with multiple operating units and over 3,000 employees worldwide. As one of the largest watch makers in the world, Timex Group companies produce watches under a number of well-known brands, including Timex, Nautica, Guess, GC, Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace, Versus and Ted Baker.
, DRAGON BALL Z®, and ONE PIECE®. More information about the company and its products can be found at 
