At the “Arcade Archives” version “Packland”, attention has attracted attention as the figure of a certain character changes from the original version. The figure of “Miz Pacman”, a character that can be said to be a female version Pacman, is changing to a different female character. The background is found to have a complex situation that emits her origin. Overseas media Polygon etc. are conveyed.
“Arcade Archives” is a service that sells an arcade game released once for the console. Hamster Co., Ltd. and Japan Software work and aim for faithful reproduction of the original version. The other day, on April 7, Namco (Vandai Namco Entertainment, Bandai Namco) Launched in 1984 “Packland” was released for PS4 / Nintendo Switch from “Arcade Archive”.
However, some users who played the reprinted “Packland” began to be aware of a sense of discomfort and began to report on SNS. The figure of the female character “Miz Pacman” has changed to a familiar character. Users outside Japan respond to this change and demonstrate questions and guessing about circumstances in the background. Artist’s Nicholas Caballero posts an image to compare after changing and after changing. If you confirm that, you can see a “Miz Packman” that the red ribbon is an impressive “Miz Pacman” is a female character that is different from the design after reprinting. It is a potential for such changes, but it is a circumstance of “Miz Pacman” right.
The first work that “Miz Pacman” appeared is “MS. PAC-MAN” launched in the United States in 1982. The origin of the same work was an unofficial modification game that is “Crazy Otto” with a hand to “Pacman”. What I produced was studios General Computer Corporation (GCC, currently dissolved) launched by students from Massachusetts University of Technology.
“CRAZY OTTO” was recognized in Midway Games, which was working on the North American development of “Packman” at the time, and finally “MS. PAC-MAN” and Launch as a official work. It became a big hit that surpassed the original “Pacman” locally. After that, “Miz Pacman” often appears in the “Pacman” work from Namco. In other words, “Miz Pacman” has a slightly unusual process that joins the main house from so to speak. And in 1983, a dispute occurs between GCC and MIDWAY. This dispute is expected to be determined by the “GCC side” with the “MS. PAC-MAN” game case using coins, obtaining a royalty (use fee). However, the situation surrounding “Miz Pacman” will exhibit more complicated aspects.
The situation was a major change in the situation that the situation showed a bigger change. Between GCC rights successors and Bandai Namco, a dispute of the “Miz Pacman” royalty has occurred. As a result, not only the game chassis that uses coins, but also in all “Miz Packman” game development, the contract content has changed to cause royalty to the GCC rights successor. For these circumstances, the compilation work “Pac-Man Museum” of the “Pacman” series released in 2014 is sold as a Sold DLC for “Miz Pacman” only.
And it is a 2019 event that deepened the division of Bandai Namco and “Miz Pacman”. Bandai Namco Entertainment America has a lawsuit against the game equipment manufacturer ATGAMES and appealing for copyright infringement (related articles).
The point of view was a small arcade chassis of “Miz Pacman” to work. Bandai Namko pointed out that ATGames is trying to develop this product without permission. In addition, at the manufacture of the device “Bandai Namco Flashback Blast!” Equipment for ATGames, we criticized the business practices of ATGames, including the game of NES (Overseas Edition Nemocon). In addition, about these methods of ATGAMES, the voices of criticism are rising from some fans etc. Although this dispute is solved, the ATGAMES side does not reveal information other than that “Bandai Namco Flashback Blast!” Sales right.
And if you are a fruit, ATGames announced that the “Miz Pacman” that GCC had acquired by GCC. About this movement, Bandai Namco showed the opposite intention from advance. Therefore, although the intellectual property rights of “Miz Pacman” are held by Bandai Namco, Royalty Receiving Rights, which ends the contract with GCC, has an ATGAMES. In other words, if Bandai Namco of the right, the game work “Miz Packman” will come out, it will be seen that it is a strange situation that must pay money to the factor. Therefore, it is believed that Bandai Namco is trying to take a distance from “Miz Pacman”.
“Pac-Man Museum +” scheduled to be released next month in the above-mentioned “PAC-MAN MUSEUM” has been revealed that “Miz Pacman” is not recorded. In addition, the character that made the “Miz Pacman” in this reprint version “Packland” is similar to the new character “Pack Mum” scheduled to appear in “PAC-MAN MUSEUM +”. In the reprint of “Packland” in “Arcade Archives”, there may be potentially responsible for replacing characters from the Bandai Namko side that takes distance from “Miz Pacman”.
“Miz Pacman” that has disappeared from “Packland” or “Packland” or “Packland” for the interests of the rights and money. It is a disappointing event for fans seeking the original version. However, the fun of “Packland” that revived by “Arcade Archives” should surely be transmitted to modern players. I solve the problem surrounding “Miz Pacman” and I would like to expect she will be officially expected.
Leave a Reply