Culture 5 min read By Trevor Kendall
Blink-182 Launch Free Pac-Man Game for 'Take Off Your Pants And Jacket' 25th Anniversary
Blink-182 have released a free-to-play Pac-Man game on their nostalgic 2001-inspired website, continuing their collaboration with the arcade icon to mark 25 years of 'Take Off Your Pants And Jacket'. The band also appears in a new animated Pac-Man short and has released a range of themed merchandise.
Blink-182 have expanded their collaboration with arcade gaming icon Pac-Man by launching a free-to-play throwback game. The pop-punk trio released the browser-based title on their nostalgic 2001-inspired website, inviting fans to guide Pac-Man through a maze while collecting special icons tied to the band's 2001 album 'Take Off Your Pants And Jacket'.
The game challenges players to eat as many power pellets as possible and grab the special 'Take Off Your Pants And Jacket' icons while avoiding the ghosts. It is available to play now at no cost, continuing a partnership that began earlier this year when Blink-182 unveiled a range of Pac-Man-inspired merchandise at San Diego Comic Con.
That initial merchandise drop celebrated the 25th anniversary of 'Take Off Your Pants And Jacket', the band's fourth studio album, which was originally released in June 2001. Among the items was a limited-edition Blink-182 x Pac-Man Comic Con vinyl edition of the album, produced by Blood Records, alongside a Blink-182 version of the Pac-Man x 7-Eleven t-shirt that bassist Mark Hoppus wore during the band's comeback set at Coachella Festival in 2023.
The new game arrives as Blink-182 also appear in the latest episode of the animated short series 'Pac-Man: Snack Breaks'. A fresh range of Pac-Man-inspired Blink-182 merchandise has been made available through the band's online store, giving fans multiple ways to engage with the crossover.
In June, Blink-182 released a 25th anniversary edition of 'Take Off Your Pants And Jacket' on streaming platforms. The expanded release features the album's 13 original tracks along with six b-sides. A vinyl release is also available to pre-order.
The anniversary celebrations come as Blink-182 continue to build on the momentum of their 2023 album 'One More Time…', which marked the return of the classic lineup featuring Hoppus, guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. The band has already confirmed a series of major European shows for next summer.
Blink-182 are set to headline Rock Am Ring, Rock Im Park, and Rock For People next June. They will also play a trio of their own headline shows in Berlin, Paris, and Milan the same month. Fans are additionally speculating that the group will headline Download Festival for the first time next year, though no official announcement has been made.
The Pac-Man game and merchandise collaboration reflect a broader trend of musicians partnering with video game and arcade properties to reach fans across entertainment mediums. For Blink-182, the partnership ties directly into the era of 'Take Off Your Pants And Jacket', an album that helped define pop-punk in the early 2000s and remains a touchstone for the genre.
The band's continued activity follows a period of renewed visibility, including the Coachella performance and the release of 'One More Time…'. The album was accompanied by a documentary-style rollout that addressed Hoppus's cancer diagnosis and the band's reconciliation, adding emotional weight to their reunion.
With the free Pac-Man game now live, Blink-182 fans can revisit the early 2000s aesthetic that the band has leaned into for the anniversary. The game's 2001-inspired website design mirrors the look and feel of the band's online presence from that era, reinforcing the throwback theme.
The collaboration also places Blink-182 alongside a growing list of artists who have used interactive experiences to promote catalog releases. By offering the game for free, the band lowers the barrier for fans to participate in the anniversary, while the merchandise range provides a commercial component for those seeking physical collectibles.
Blink-182's European tour dates and the potential Download Festival headline slot suggest the band will remain active on the live circuit well into next year. For now, the Pac-Man game serves as a playful bridge between the group's pop-punk past and its ongoing presence in popular culture.
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