Founder of Namco and Father of Pac-Man, Masaya Nakamura, Passed Away at the Age of 91
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5/10It’s a sad day in the world of gaming today. We have lost yet another monumental figure in the gaming world, and this time, it’s from Namco. If you’re not too sure who this person is exactly, this person is known across the world as ‘the Father of Pac-Man”.
In memory of Masaya Nakamura, founder of Namco
Bandai Namco has announced today that Namco founder, Masaya Nakamura, passed away on January 22nd 2017 at the age of 91. Masaya Nakamura has done a lot for the videogame industry and if you’re not too sure what exactly, we’re gonna dive into it.
Masaya Nakamura founded a company called Nakamura Amusement Machine Manufacturing Company in 1955. The company’s responsibility is to build children’s rides for department stores. In the late 1970s, the company was renamed to make it more easily identifiable. The company was then named Namco, based on the acronym of the original company name. Since then, Namco has focused on videogame development under Nakamura’s leadership.
Many people will remember him and Namco as being the one behind Pac-Man but they also developed other notable games. Galaga, Dig Dug, Pole Position, and more. When the great videogame crash of 1983 happened, Namco was one of the few companies that managed to survive, and they eventually became a household name.
In 2005, Namco merged with Bandai to form Bandai Namco. Masaya Nakamura stayed on in an advisory role. 2 years later, Masaya Nakamura was awarded the “Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette” by the Japanese government for his contributions to the country’s industry. Today, Bandai Namco publishes games like Tales of Berseria, Digimon World: The Next Order, the Dark Souls series, and more.
Masaya Nakamura’s cause of death was not discloses, in respect for the family’s privacy.
Pokdepinion: A lot of people today might not feel it, but we have lost such a massive figure in the videogame industry. Without him, quite a few videogame franchises we know today would not have existed. Rest in peace, Masaya Nakamura, and thank you for your contributions to the gaming world.
