First videogame character merchandise

PAC-Man was the first gaming character to tempt gamers with a vast range of merchandise. By 5 April 1982, there were close to 200 products in the PAC-Man range including a boardgame, jeans, clothing and pillow cases.

There was even a song called "Pac-Man Fever" – the first hit single to be inspired by a videogame. Written by the musical duo Bucker & Garcia, it reached number nine in the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1982 and it was included on the Pac-Man Fever album, which also included the songs "Froggy's Lament", "Ode to a Centipede", "Do the Donkey Kong", "Hyperspace", "The Defender", "Mousetrap" and "Goin' Bezerk", which were based on Frogger, Centipede, Donkey Kong, Asteroids, Defender, Mouse Trap and Bezerk, respectively.

A television series was produced by Hanna-Barbera for the ABC network in the USA between 1982 and 1983. Space Invaders also attracted some spin-off merchandising and giveaways.

Heinz produced a special Invaders soup based on the title in the 1980s although it wasn't an official licence.

Billboard magazine on 25 September 1982 also stated that Video Village in Philadelphia, USA, handed out 3,000 necklaces as a promotion for the game.