Are more people playing Pac-Man after watching Black Mirror: Bandersnatch?
By Sandy C.
Has Pac-Man become more popular after Black Mirror: Bandersnatch on Netflix?
Netflix subscribers have all watched Black Mirror‘s interactive film, Bandersnatch, several times. The movie supposedly allows viewers to make all the decisions for the main character Stefan Butler (Fionn Whitehead), ultimately selecting his fate. However, the movie feels more like a game and makes you question who is truly in control – Netflix or the viewer/player?
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch blows audiences minds in many ways. The mind-bending story features several paths to choose from, thought-provoking scenarios, and… the sad truth about Pac-Man?
Please note: Some light spoilers are ahead if you have yet to watch the film!
Pac-Man used to be a fun game to pass the time. More often than not, especially when playing with others, things got competitive, sure, but it was still all in good fun! Watching Pac-Man collect the pellets, cherries, and run from ghosts never made players think too much into things. That is, until Black Mirror: Bandersnatch came along.
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In the movie, there’s a scene Colin Ritman (Will Poulter) and Stefan share. Colin begins to tell Stefan about Pac-Man and how the game has a much deeper meaning. The conspiracy is that choice and free will is an illusion.
Colin’s theory is that Pac (P.A.C.) stands for Program And Control. Pac-Man is “Program And Control Man” and a metaphor of someone being chased by their own demons, leaving them unable to do anything except consume to no end. Because, if they don’t, then they’ll be consumed. Are we also all trapped in a maze inside our minds? What is going on? Is Pac-Man trying to tell us something?
Colin brings Pac-Man up again when he tells Stefan that no one really dies, they just start over, like Pac-Man does. Pac-Man is seemingly never too bothered when caught by a ghost because he has other lives. To prove his point, Colin jumps off the balcony. The end result? Well, depends on which path you take, but let’s just say it doesn’t end well for Colin.
It’s a cool conspiracy, but absolutely not true. Pac-Man wasn’t even called Pac-Man, initially, and went through a name change. Still, it blows our minds for a bit and was fun for the movie to include. The question is, has it made the game more popular since Bandersnatch‘s release? Yes and no.
Despite being a game from the early 80’s, Pac-Man continues to be one of the most popular and beloved games of all-time. There are hundreds of Pac-Man game versions available, from game apps you can get on your phone, hand-held systems, and some you can plug into your television or computer screen. You can even find large arcade-game size Pac-Man machines.
A ton of merchandise (shirts, Funko Pops, you name it) is also available in many stores. Simply Google “Pac-Man” and the search engine pops up a game ready for you to play. The game is referenced in movies, TV shows, songs. I could go on.
This has been the case, and all of this has been around, long before Black Mirror: Bandersnatch premiered on Netflix. Still, let’s give Bandersnatch a little bit of credit. Based on my quick research, “Pac-Man” does bring up more recent results if you look it up. It has also been getting a lot of fans talking on Twitter. The game has seen more purchases and app downloads recently, perhaps fans want to take in the nostalgia after watching the movie.
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The biggest thing the Bandersnatch Pac-Man conspiracy has done, though, is make us all feel sad for the little guy. If you decide to play, try to give him a win.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is streaming on Netflix. The first four seasons of the series are also available. Stay tuned for news on Season 5!