SANRIO AND BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT JOIN FORCES WITH NEW HELLO KITTY ♥ PAC-MAN MOBILE GAME AND MERCHANDISE

Pop Icon Hello Kitty and the First Video Game Hero to Chomp Tasty Dots and Pesky Ghosts, Debuting Collaboration at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2017

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (July 19, 2017) – Sanrio, Inc. and leading anime video game developer and publisher BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment today announce Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN, a new collaboration featuring PAC-MAN, the world’s first video game hero, joining forces with supercute global pop icon, Hello Kitty. Developed by Sanrio, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment as a license program, the collaboration kicks-off on July 19th at Comic-Con International: San Diego with a Hello Kitty themed update to the PAC-MAN app available now as a free download on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Sanrio and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment will debut its limited-edition Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN merchandise collection at Comic-Con International: San Diego.  Starting on July 20th, the collection will be available at the BAIT booth (#5146), -- and will include t-shirts, caps, socks, tote bags, pins, and a Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN collectible figure set. The design blends the classic arcade pixelated PAC-MAN look with the supercute iconography of Hello Kitty. BAIT will debut an additional version of the collectible figure set at Comic-Con International: New York in October 2017. Additional products will 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, Vice President of Marketing at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc. “We look forward to celebrating this new friendship with fans at Comic-Con and have them experience the limited-time Hello Kitty update to the PAC-MAN app as they chomp dots, weave through corners, and avoid colorful ghosts.”

“Hello Kitty and PAC-MAN are global icons with a crossover fan base,” said Jill Koch, Sr. Vice President of Brand Management and Marketing at Sanrio, Inc. “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.”

The PAC-MAN mobile game, which is free to download and play, will feature Hello Kitty, along with special in-game integrations and themed levels, customized icons, and ghosts. The Hello Kitty content will be included as part of a free, limited-time update to PAC-MAN on Google Play and the Apple App Store, available to download now through August 19.

Visit the Sanrio booth (#4737) and BAIT booth (#5146) at Comic-Con International: San Diego for a free limited edition Hello Kitty ♥ PAC-MAN keychain, while supplies last!