In the original Pac-Man (released in October 1980 as an arcade game in Japan), the ghosts, also known as the "Ghost Gang," each had unique AI traits that contributed to the game's enduring appeal.

Developers have added more players, turning it into a party game ... to stay alive against ghosts and each other. More recently, BandaiNamco launched Pac-Man 99 on the Nintendo Switch.

There were video games and arcade hits before Pac-Man, but Namco's ghost-gobbling hero quickly ... but Bandai Namco has plans to keep the party going into 2026. To start off the year of "imPACt ...