1980

Pac-Man. In 1980, Pac-Man was released and quickly became one of the most successful video games of all time. The game was developed by the Japanese company Namco and distributed in the United States by Midway.

 

The gameplay was simple yet innovative: the player guides a yellow character through a maze, collecting dots while being chased by four ghosts. By eating power pellets, Pac-Man can temporarily turn the tables and chase the ghosts.

Pac-Man rapidly became a worldwide arcade sensation. Its friendly design and easy-to-understand gameplay attracted a broad audience.

The success of Pac-Man came at a time of major technological change. Soon after its release, home computers and video game consoles began to spread rapidly, bringing video games into private homes.

Despite this shift, Pac-Man remains one of the most famous arcade games in history and an enduring icon of video game culture.