Episode 15: The rights to Ms. Pac-Man are a mess

In this episode, Alex and Michael discuss the mess behind the royalty rights to Ms. Pac-Man, and talk about companies making shady deals, weird back-stabbery, and the weirdness that is the character Crazy Otto.

 

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Sources used:

 

Pac-Attack,  Author: Unknown.  Digital Press Issue 24 pg 18-19.  Published March 1995.  

 

The rights to Ms. Pac-Man are caught up in a messy legal battle.  Author: Kyle Orland.  Publisher:  Arstechica, September 27th, 2019. 

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/the-rights-to-ms-pac-man-are-caught-in-a-messy-legal-battle/#:~:text=Pac%2DMan%20is%20at%20the,royalty%20rights%20to%20the%20game

 

How an arcade classic broke all the rules.  Author:  Colin Campbell.  Publisher: Polygon, March 25th, 2016. 

https://www.polygon.com/2016/3/25/11287572/ms-pac-man-story

 

Classic Game Post-Mortem: Ms. Pac-Man.  Author:  Steve Golson.  Presented at GDC 2016.  January 13th, 2017. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhM8NAMW_VQ

 

Worldwide Revenue of Major Toy Companies in 2020.  Author:  D.Tighe.  Publisher: Statista.  January 14th, 2022. 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/241241/revenue-of-major-toy-companies-worldwide/

 

 AtGames, sued by Ms. Pac-Man's owner, boys up royalty rights to the icon.  Author:  Owen S. Good.  Publisher:  Polygon.  September 26th, 2019.  https://www.polygon.com/2019/9/26/20886032/ms-pac-man-lawsuit-bandai-namco-atgames-rights-royalties

 

Bandai Namco sues throwback console maker over Ms. Pac-Man mini-cabinet.  Author:  Owen S. Good.  Publisher:  Polygon.  September 25th, 2019.

https://www.polygon.com/2019/9/25/20884111/bandai-namco-atgames-lawsuit-ms-pac-man-pac-man-flashback-blast-copyright-infringement

 

Top 10 Highest-Grossing Arcade Games of All Time.  Author: Jaz Rignall.  Publisher:  USGamer.  January 1st, 2016.

https://www.usgamer.net/articles/top-10-biggest-grossing-arcade-games-of-all-time