It’s a match made in 1980s pop-culture heaven: Legendary video-game gobbler Pac-Man is teaming up with the superlovable cat-like Hello Kitty character in a limited-time mobile-game collaboration — as well as beaucoup merch featuring the two.
Hello Kitty will join Pac-Man to chomp dots, weave around corners, and avoid ghosts in a themed update to the Pac-Man app available now as a free download for Android and iOS devices on Google Play and Apple’s iTunes App Store.
The update is available to download now through Aug. 19. The Pac-Man/Hello Kitty game collab will also feature special in-game integrations and themed levels, customized icons, and ghosts.
Sanrio, which owns the Hello Kitty brand, is licensing the character to Bandai Namco Entertainment under the partnership.
The two companies are kicking off the collaboration — officially styled as “Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN” — Wednesday (July 19) at San Diego Comic-Con 2017. At SDCC, Sanrio and Bandai Namco will debut a limited-edition merchandise collection including T-shirts, caps, socks, tote bags, pins, and a collectible figure set. BAIT will debut another collectible figure set at Comic-Con New York in October, and additional “Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN” products are slated to be available at specialty retailers this fall.
“Hello Kitty and Pac-Man have both endeared themselves to pop-culture fans around the world for decades. It’s about time that these two became best friends,” said Eric Hartness, VP of marketing at Bandai Namco Entertainment America. Added Jill Koch, Sanrio’s SVP of brand management and marketing: “Merging Hello Kitty into the pixelated world of Pac-Man is a gift both for fans that grew up with the brands and new fans alike.”
Comic-Con attendees can visit the booths of Sanrio (#4737) and BAIT (#5146) for a free “Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN” keychain, while supplies last.
