
On This Day in Video Game History: Patriotic Pac-Man Perfection
Yep, it's already been 16 years since Billy Mitchell racked up the highest score possible in Namco's arcade classic.
Billy Mitchell is a bit of a controversial figure in professional video gaming — some people love him, some hate him. They even made him the de facto villain of the film King of Kong
Whatever you may think of him, the man knows his Pac-Man. In fact, 16 years ago today, he locked down the first-ever officially recorded Pac-Man playthrough — a flawless run through all 255 playable stages, racking up the highest score possible before the game came shrieking to a halt at its kill screen. His arcade heroics are the most notable video game event to have transpired on this day in history:
Meanwhile, yesterday marked the sixth anniversary of Midway's acquisition by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. That may not seem like much of a big deal to you, but it nevertheless makes for a fascinating moment in video games if only for the history behind the companies involved:
We'll be posting new episodes of This Day in Video Game History every day this month, including weekends, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or keep an eye on the July playlist for new episodes every morning at 10 a.m. ET (7 a.m. PT). Thanks for watching!
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