is an
arcade game developed by
Namco and first released in
Japan on May 22, 1980. It was created by Japanese video game designer
Toru Iwatani. It was licensed for distribution in the United States by
Midway and released in October 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day,
Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games, and an icon of 1980s
popular culture. Upon its release, the game—and, subsequently,
Pac-Man derivatives—became a social phenomenon that yielded high sales of merchandise and inspired a legacy in other media, such as the
Pac-Man animated television series and the top-ten hit single
"Pac-Man Fever".
