Toru Iwatani

Overview

Toru Iwatani wanted to make games for everyone—including women, who rarely visited arcades. His solution was a character eating dots in a maze, designed to be cute rather than violent. Pac-Man became the best-selling arcade game ever, and its protagonist became gaming’s first true mascot.

Fast facts

Born: 1955, Tokyo, Japan.
Company: Namco (1977-2007).
Creation: Pac-Man (1980).
Current: Academic, lecturer.

Pac-Man design goals

Goal	Solution
Attract women	Non-violent gameplay
Universal appeal	Cute character
Simple concept	Eating is universal
Accessible	Easy to understand

The pizza inspiration

Legend has it:

Iwatani looking at pizza
Missing slice = Pac-Man shape
May be apocryphal
Good story regardless

Character design

Element	Intent
Round shape	Friendly, approachable
Yellow colour	Bright, appealing
Eating animation	Simple, satisfying
Name	”Paku-paku” (eating sound)

Pac-Man’s impact

Achievement	Scale
Arcade earnings	Highest-grossing ever
Merchandise	Billions in licensing
Cultural icon	Universal recognition
Gender appeal	Attracted female players

Ghost AI design

Each ghost had personality:

Blinky (red): Chases directly
Pinky (pink): Ambushes ahead
Inky (blue): Unpredictable
Clyde (orange): Random

Simple rules creating complex behaviour.

Other works

Title	Year	Type
Gee Bee	1978	Pinball game
Libble Rabble	1983	Action
Pac-Land	1984	Platformer (consultant)

Design philosophy

Principle	Application
Accessibility	Anyone can play
Character	Personality matters
Non-violence	Eating, not shooting
Depth	Simple to learn, hard to master

Recognition

Honour	Year
GDC Pioneer Award	1999
Hall of Fame	Multiple
Academic positions	Tokyo Polytechnic

Legacy

Iwatani proved:

Games could have mass appeal
Characters create connection
Non-violence works
Simple concepts can be profound

Teaching career

After Namco:

Tokyo Polytechnic University
Game design instruction
Sharing philosophy
Inspiring new designers

Creator of Pac-Man