The Design of "Minimal Rules x Maximum Experience" That Resonates with Generation Z - The True Nature of "Make imPACt" Launched by Pac-Man on Its 45th Anniversary

Photo: Matt Brown, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

1. The Revolution of "Not Shooting"

In the arcades of 1980, the spotlight was on "shooting" games, represented by 'Space Invaders.' Enter 'Pac-Man,' a game where you simply "eat dots" without shooting enemies. The combination of rules that anyone could understand in seconds, cute characters, and a design where "improvement" was visibly apparent, expanded the arcade culture's reach by attracting a new audience, including women and families. This evaluation remains unshaken. The characterization of the ghosts (chasing, ambushing, etc.) and the introduction of power cookies that reverse the situation when eaten are spoken of as pioneers in spreading the concepts of game AI and "power-ups." Wikipedia

2. The 45th Anniversary Motto: "Make imPACt"

The theme for the 45th anniversary year is "Make imPACt." Experiences that go beyond the realm of games are lined up, including museum exhibitions (Seattle's MoPOP), performances at sports venues, and a blood donation program with the American Red Cross. The anniversary special site and press releases also announce it as a long-term campaign spanning the year, with fan-participation projects connected on a global scale. Grafting new points of contact onto nostalgia—that is the design philosophy for this year. Bandai Namco Entertainment

3. The Global Trend of "Re-editing"

Collaborations and real-life exhibitions are also abundant. In Japan, Krispy Kreme released commemorative donuts, and on social media, there was excitement over the meta coincidence of "eating" and "being eaten." In Spain, giant Pac-Man statues appeared in Madrid and Malaga, realizing a "city-wide exhibition" that connects commercial facilities and museums with the city's pathways. On the hardware side, a special edition of Pac-Man for the Atari 2600+ was announced, bringing back memories of home experiences from the 1970s-80s with the latest specifications. The trend of "re-editing" that goes beyond mere nostalgia is clearly visible. Stars and StripesLOS40Cadena SERTechRadar

4. What Will the New 'Shadow Labyrinth' Update?

In line with the 45th anniversary, 'PAC-MAN: Shadow Labyrinth' is set to release on July 18, 2025. While the visuals are modern, featuring 3D mazes and a gothic x cyber world view, the core lies in "reading the opponent" and "finding the shortest path." The replay design of repeating short plays aligns well with clip culture, naturally fitting the Gen Z behavior pattern of "share → retry." It can be seen as an attempt to translate the learning aspects of classics into the latest presentation styles. Bandai Namco Europe

5. "Minimal Rules x Maximum Story" That Captivates Gen Z

Games that are strong at the entry point for Gen Z are those that can be understood in seconds, where skill improvement is visible, and highlights are easily extractable. Pac-Man's design fits those conditions. Missing a single dot creates "drama," and the 0.1-second decision-making when crossing paths with a ghost keeps players on the edge of their seats—a high story density even in short spans. The space for players to become "creators," such as through Roblox or official fan art projects, also lowers the barrier to participation. The anniversary motto "Make imPACt" is symbolic. Instagrampacman.com

6. The Festival of Social Media—A Sample of Voices

• Official X "Happy PAC-MAN Day! 45 years of imPACt!"—The standard congratulatory posts trigger numerous fan creations. The template design, which is easy to spread with images, is skillful. X (formerly Twitter)

• Atari's official account also emphasizes the collaboration with the yellow color machine, "45 years of PAC-MAN." The mutual customer attraction between hardware and IP is visible. X (formerly Twitter)

• The official Instagram account consistently highlights UGC with #fanartfriday. Even during the anniversary, creator-driven content circulates. Instagram

• On Reddit, threads for the 45th anniversary are regularly created, discussing everything from the shortest routes to the level 256 "bug." The "knowledge" of long-time fans is redistributed as a public resource. Reddit

7. How Design Principles "Survive"

The universality of Pac-Man lies in three points: (1) a UI that anyone can access, (2) clear risk-reward, and (3) enemy AI that is predictable but not entirely controllable. The ghosts do not behave completely randomly but have "personalities" that can be read, leaving room for learning. Furthermore, the power cookie, which temporarily allows for "reversing the situation," guarantees dramatic developments even in short periods. These are fundamental principles that also underlie today's mobile and party games. Wikipedia

8. The Right Way to Use Nostalgia

Nostalgia becomes stronger through redesign rather than mere reproduction. Whether it's a donut box, a museum exhibition, a fan art tour, or a special edition of hardware, the common point is translating the core story of "eating/being chased/escaping" into different experiences. An anniversary is a festival that opens the "re-editing rights" of an IP to society. In its 45th year, Pac-Man has widely opened its editing room. Bandai Namco EntertainmentTechRadarStars and Stripes

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