10 Video Game Characters Everyone Loved (That Just DISAPPEARED)
5. Ms. Pac-Man - Ms. Pac-Man
Pac-Man was such a powerhouse during the dawn of gaming, it's easy to forget how influential Ms. Pac-Man is. Rather than being a clone of her male counterpart, the first Pac-Man sequel had different mazes, multiple warp tunnels, and less predictable patterns for the Ghosts. For these reasons, there are some who consider this follow-up to be superior than the original.
More importantly, Ms. Pac-Man is the first female protagonist in gaming. She may look like bow-wearing pizza, but Ms. Pac-Man opened the door for iconic heroines, including Samus Aran, Lara Croft, and Chell.
And yet, she hasn't headlined a single game since 2001. Pac-Man, on the other hand, still churns out a game every year or two. So, what gives?
Sadly, Ms. Pac-Man has gone AWOL, thanks to those two dreaded words; legal disputes.
Since the rights to the character are tangled between various companies, it's a lawful nightmare for the pellet-chomping lady to appear any game. 2022's Pac-Man Museum +, which contains 14 Pac-Man games, scrubbed away all mention of Ms. Pac-Man, replacing her with a new character called Pac-Mom.
Since there is no end in sight for these legal troubles, Ms. Pac-Man isn't expected to return any time soon.