Nex and Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. Announce Collaboration to Bring PAC-MAN™ to Nex Playground in Q3 2026

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 26, 2026--

Nex, maker of Nex Playground, the active play system that gets families moving together, has entered a licensing partnership with Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., to bring PAC-MAN™ on NEX to the console later this year. The collaboration introduces one of gaming's most enduring franchises to a new generation of families while expanding Nex Playground's growing library of globally recognized entertainment experiences.

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For more than 45 years, PAC-MAN™ has entertained players around the world, evolving from an arcade phenomenon into one of the most iconic names in gaming. The collaboration reflects Nex's continued momentum in partnering with some of the world's most beloved entertainment brands while creating new ways for families to experience them together through movement and play.

“Some games have the unique ability to connect generations, and PAC-MAN has been doing exactly that for more than four decades,” said David Lee, CEO and Co-Founder of Nex. “We're excited to work with Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. to bring PAC-MAN to Nex Playground in a way that's active, social, and designed for families to experience together in the living room.”

“Few games are as approachable and fun as PAC-MAN,” said Susan Tran, Sr. Director of Brand Development for PAC-MAN at Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. “We're excited to bring the Hungry Hero to Nex Playground, giving families a fresh, active way to experience the iconic PAC-MAN and chomp Ghosts together.”

PAC-MAN on NEX reimagines the classic arcade experience as a physically active adventure, encouraging players to move, dodge, chase, and compete together in the living room. Designed exclusively for Nex Playground, the game brings the timeless fun of PAC-MAN to life through an accessible, motion-based experience for players of all ages.

The game is currently in development by Nex for the Nex Playground and will be available in Q3 through Play Pass, Nex Playground's content subscription. Play Pass is sold separately and offers more than 60 active games spanning sports, dance, fitness and educational experiences. Play Pass can be added at any time. To learn more, visit nexplayground.com.

About Nex

Nex is on a mission to connect families and friends through active play. Created by parents for parents, Nex combines technology and play to deliver fun, social, and interactive experiences powered by natural body motion. Its award-winning active play system, Nex Playground, is the only controller-free console built specifically for kids and families with safety and privacy at the core of its design. Nex Playground is kidSAFE+ COPPA compliant and a member of the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) in the U.S. In the U.K., Nex Playground aligns with GDPR requirements, earning PEGI 3 age ratings on the included starter bundle. Motion-tracking data and processing stay local to the device, and every system includes a built-in camera cover.

Nex Playground with Play Pass features a growing catalog of 60+ active games, from sports to dance, fitness, and educational experiences, including Nex Originals and collaborations with partners such as Paramount, Hasbro, Sesame Workshop, and NBCUniversal. Nex has been recognized by Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, TIME’s Best Inventions, and Parents’ Best Entertainment System for Families, and has earned Red Dot, IDEA, and Core77 international design awards.

Nex Playground is available at Amazon, Best Buy®, Target®, Walmart®, Costco, Sam’s Club®, and TikTok Shop, online and select retail stores in the U.S. and Canada, and is available in the U.K. and Republic of Ireland at Amazon U.K., Argos, and Smyths Toys. To learn more, visit nexplayground.com or follow the company on Instagram and Facebook.

About Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc., part of the Bandai Namco Group, is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive entertainment for major video game consoles, PC, online, and mobile platforms. The company is known for creating many of the industry’s beloved classic franchises such as PAC-MAN®, GALAGA®, TEKKEN®, SOULCALIBUR®, and ACE COMBAT®, and publishing the critically acclaimed DARK SOULS™ series and the blockbuster title ELDEN RING™. Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. is also the premier publisher in the Western hemisphere for anime-based video games including GUNDAM™, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, DRAGON BALL™, and ONE PIECE®. Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. is headquartered in Irvine, California. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.bandainamcoent.com.

PAC-MAN™ & ©Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.

Press Release ©Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

Nex and Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. Announce Collaboration to Bring PAC-MAN™ to Nex Playground in Q3 2026

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A fire erupted early Wednesday in a nursery for newborns at a major government hospital in Pakistan’s capital, killing 14 babies, according to hospital officials and the government.

The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad housed at least 15 newborns in the nursery when the fire broke out, hospital officials said.

At least one baby was rescued, officials said, while Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal confirmed at least 14 babies had died.

Rescue officials said the fire began about 6:45 a.m. after an air-conditioning unit compressor exploded inside the nursery in the gynecology ward.

Firefighters quickly responded and extinguished the blaze and rescue teams began cooling operations at the site, local media reported. Islamabad Chief Commissioner Suhail Ashraf later said the fire had been extinguished and authorities were coordinating with the families.

Within hours, the Islamabad district magistrate appointed a multiagency fact-finding committee with directions to submit a report within 24 hours. The panel will investigate the cause of the fire and its spread, determine whether adequate fire-safety measures were in place and evaluate the emergency response, a government notification said.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the fire.

“A tragedy involving children is an irreparable loss,” said Sharif, who ordered an immediate investigation.

President Asif Ali Zardari also offered condolences to the families, describing the deaths as “heartbreaking and an irreparable loss.”

Zardari called for those responsible to be identified and dealt with under the law and urged hospitals to ensure effective fire-safety measures and emergency procedures, particularly in wards caring for newborns.

The deaths of the children sent a wave of shock and grief across the country. Police were deployed at the hospital as grieving parents and relatives gathered, some weeping while others called for accountability and demanded answers about how the fire began and whether the nursery had adequate firefighting equipment.

Mohammad Sami said she gave birth three days earlier and her baby was receiving intensive care in the nursery when the fire erupted.

“I don’t know what to say or whom to blame,” she said through tears. “I have lost my child.”

Hospital officials told families that the bodies would be released after the necessary paperwork was completed, Sami said.

Kamal, the health minister, told local Geo News channel that he was traveling from Karachi to Islamabad to personally oversee the investigation.

He said the director-general of health and the federal health secretary were already at PIMS, one of Islamabad’s largest public hospitals, which recently was the site of a medical examination of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Officials were in contact with the families, according to Kamal, who said the immediate priority was to support the parents and return the infants’ bodies to them.

Relatives of the children who died in a hospital fire, gather at the hospital, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/M.Yousaf)