Introduction
When people think of classic arcade games, Ms. Pac-Man is often regarded as one of the best. However, its origins are far from conventional. Unlike its predecessor, Pac-Man, which was created by Namco in Japan, Ms. Pac-Man began as an unauthorized modification by a group of MIT students in the United States. The game's development involved a complex web of legal battles, business maneuvers, and strategic decisions by Midway and Namco.
This is the untold story of how Ms. Pac-Man transformed from a hacked version of Pac-Man into one of the most beloved arcade games of all time.
I. The Origins: From Crazy Otto to Ms. Pac-Man
By 1981, Pac-Man was a cultural phenomenon, but arcade operators faced a problem—players had mastered the game, and they wanted something fresh. A small group of MIT students, who had formed General Computer Corporation (GCC), had already been working on modifying existing arcade games to make them more engaging.
Their project, called "Crazy Otto," was an enhancement kit for Pac-Man that introduced:
- New maze layouts
- More unpredictable enemy AI
- A faster-moving protagonist
- A new character design featuring legs and a bow
According to Doug Macrae, co-founder of GCC, "We disassembled the code, documented it all and how it worked, etc., and then looked at how to make modifications to make it a little more difficult and a little more interesting. And we were developing this enhancement kit as a separate board and kit again." (The Ultimate History of Video Games, Steven L. Kent, p. 169).
The Legal Setback: Atari Lawsuit and the Midway Bluff
Atari took legal action against GCC over their Missile Command enhancement kit, leading to a two-month legal battle. The case was eventually settled under two conditions:
- GCC would receive $50,000 per month for the next 2 years to developed games for Atari.
- Any enhancement kits they created in the future required prior approval.
Despite this setback, GCC saw an opportunity. They approached Midway Manufacturing, the American distributor of Pac-Man, and pitched Crazy Otto as a way to expand the Pac-Man brand. Knowing they needed leverage, GCC bluffed by implying they had defeated Atari in court and were prepared to fight another legal battle if necessary.
As Steve Golson, another key developer at GCC, recalled: "We called the president of Midway Manufacturing, who is the manufacturer of Pac-Man in the U.S. We’ve just signed this deal with Atari. No one knows about this. It is secret. All the industry knows is that Atari dropped their lawsuit." (High Score, Episode 2: "Comeback Kid," Netflix, 2020).
Doug Macrae added: "And we said we had beaten Atari in court and that if they wanted to fight us in court, we would beat them also. So we just want permission to sell it."
The reality? It was a bluff—but Midway saw potential in the project and quickly struck a deal with GCC. "They saw this as a great way to basically keep the Pac-Man assembly line going. So we signed a deal with Midway," Golson later confirmed (High Score, Episode 2: "Comeback Kid," Netflix, 2020).
II. Midway Takes Notice: The Deal That Changed Everything
Midway, the American distributor of Pac-Man, had a problem—Namco wasn’t supplying a direct sequel fast enough. When Midway discovered Crazy Otto, they saw an opportunity. Instead of shutting down GCC for unauthorized modifications, they partnered with the company to turn the hack into an official game.
Adding to this urgency, Midway’s parent company, Bally, had no follow-up planned for Pac-Man, leaving them scrambling for a way to keep the franchise relevant. As described in Attract Mode: The Rise and Fall of Coin-Op Arcade Games, "It turned out Bally had no follow-up planned for Pac-Man, so company executives countered by suggesting they make the game a real sequel and not an add-in board." (Attract Mode: The Rise and Fall of Coin-Op Arcade Games, Jamie Lendino, p. 182).
With no official sequel in sight, Midway made a few changes to Crazy Otto:
- Renamed the game to "Ms. Pac-Man"
- Redesigned the character to have a red bow and lipstick
- Changed the color scheme and added new intermissions to give it a storyline
This unofficial sequel was released in 1982, and to Midway’s surprise, it was even more successful than the original Pac-Man.
III. Namco’s Reaction and Legacy
Namco was not pleased with Midway’s decision to release Ms. Pac-Man without their direct involvement. Initially, there were legal concerns about whether Midway had the right to create a sequel. However, since Midway was Namco’s official distributor in the U.S., they worked out a deal that allowed Ms. Pac-Man to remain on the market. Despite the behind-the-scenes tension, Ms. Pac-Man sold over 115,000 arcade cabinets, becoming one of the best-selling arcade games of all time.
Today, Ms. Pac-Man remains an arcade classic, frequently appearing in re-releases and arcade compilations. However, due to ongoing licensing issues, Namco does not fully control the character, leading to legal complications that have prevented Ms. Pac-Man from appearing in certain modern Pac-Man collections.
Conclusion
What started as a modification project by MIT students turned into one of the greatest arcade games ever made. Ms. Pac-Man took a bold path to success, involving hacks, lawsuits, business deals, and corporate disputes. Despite its complicated history, the game’s influence is undeniable, proving that even an unauthorized sequel can become an iconic part of gaming history.
Sources & Further Reading
- The Ultimate History of Video Games – Steven L. Kent
- Attract Mode: The Rise and Fall of Coin-Op Arcade Games – Jamie Lendino
- High Score (Netflix, 2020) – Episode 2: "Comeback Kid"