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

Cape Verde was holding a presidential election on Sunday, a vote that could see the Atlantic island nation off the coast of West Africa elect its first woman president since independence from Portugal in 1975.

Former Justice Minister Joana Rosa is challenging incumbent José Maria Neves, who is seeking a second term. Six candidates are in the running and if no candidate receives more than half the votes, a runoff would be held on Nov. 29.

Rosa is running with the support of the opposition Movement for Democracy, a party that ruled the country for 10 years before losing in the parliamentary elections in May. Women have held senior Cabinet posts, but Cape Verde has never had a female prime minister or president.

In Cape Verde’s parliamentary system, the prime minister directs government policy and holds most executive authority. The president’s role is largely symbolic, although the directly elected head of state can veto legislation.

The country is home to about half a million people and has a record of peaceful transfers of power and competitive elections in a region where that is rare. Nearly 77,000 Cape Verdeans abroad are registered to vote, almost a fifth of the total electorate.

Roselma Évora, a professor of political science and gender studies at the University of Cabo Verde, said that limited economic prospects have been driving young people to seek opportunities abroad. Also, she said, many voters feel distant from their leaders and want a president who understands their daily difficulties.

Neves, who won in 2021 with about 52% of the vote, has pledged to build cross-party support to improve housing, healthcare and education, create jobs and raise wages.

His incumbency has given Neves greater visibility in the race, including among overseas voters, Évora said, adding that Rosa’s candidacy challenges traditional expectations of women’s roles in a society that remains “very patriarchal."

Rosa has centered her campaign on maintaining a balance of power, arguing that the country needs a counterweight to the African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde, which backs Neves and controls the government and most municipalities.

Known as PAICV, the party won a parliamentary majority in May, ending a decade of government led by the Movement for Democracy. A Rosa victory would again put the presidency and government in rival political camps.

Rosário Luz, a Cape Verde-based writer, said party loyalties mattered more than Rosa’s gender.

“We have a lot of women in politics, but we don’t have the policies for women that we should have,” she said.

Women carry much of the financial responsibility for their households in Cape Verde, but government policies have failed to address that burden, Luz said.

A vehicle drives past electoral banners for presidential candidates Joana Rosa and José Maria Neves, ahead of the presidential elections in Praia, Cape Verde, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cristiano Barbosa)

Cape Verde president José Maria Neves speaks during a rally ahead of the presidential elections, in Praia, Cape Verde, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Cristiano Barbosa)

Supporters of Cape Verde president José Maria Neves cheer during a rally ahead of the presidential elections, in Praia, Cape Verde, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Cristiano Barbosa)

People walk past an electoral banner for Cape Verde president José Maria Neves, ahead of the presidential elections, in Praia, Cape Verde, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Cristiano Barbosa)

Electoral banners showing presidential candidates Joana Rosa and José Maria Neves, ahead of the presidential elections in Praia, Cape Verde, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cristiano Barbosa)