Red Bull PAC-MAN collaboration brings pop-up to Columbus

Isabel Hall
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 03:46:29 +0000
Arts & Life, News, Columbus, drinks, featured, food, Food Hall, games, interactive games, limited edition, Pac Man, pop-up, Red Bull, short north, themed drinks, video game, vintage

The Red Bull PAC-MAN pop-up, which will take place at Short North Food Hall tonight. Credit: Isabell Hall | Lantern Reporter

Red Bull and PAC-MAN will bring a pop-up experience celebrating the launch of Red Bull’s limited-edition PAC-MAN can to Columbus tonight.

The pop-up, which will take place at Short North Food Hall, gives attendees a look at PAC-MAN “then” and “now,” with the room split between a vintage side and a current side, according to their press release. Guests can enjoy PAC-MAN-themed drinks and food and play interactive games.

Justin Kintz, director of marketing for Corso Venture, praised the use of the space, calling it “fantastic.”

“Half the space is 1980’s, half the space is modern day,” Kintz said. “It’s definitely a cool environment, cool atmosphere.”

The “then” side of the pop-up features vintage gaming items from BANDAI NAMCO, the company that created PAC-MAN and video game systems, including an arcade machine, set up for guests to play the classic version of PAC-MAN. In contrast, the “now” side offers a more modern feel, showcasing the limited edition can and allowing guests to play Red Bull-themed PAC-MAN.

While guests travel between time in the pop-up, they can sip cocktails and mocktails inspired by PAC-MAN and snack on appetizers available around the room.

The Red Bull PAC-MAN pop-up will only happen for one night, and Columbus is the only city in which it will be held. In a statement, Tyler Andrews, director of operations of Short North Food Hall, said he was excited the pop-up will be held in Columbus.

“As one of the top gaming cities in the Northeast, we knew our community would love it and that we had to host,” Andrews said in the statement.

The limited-edition cans include a code under the tab that can be used to unlock Red Bull-themed game experiences in the PAC-MAN mobile app. The code allows PAC-MAN players to use Red Bull-designed mazes and features Red Bull cans for PAC-MAN to chomp, instead of the usual “power pellets” and fruit he eats, giving a special boost.

The pop-up will take place at Short North Food Hall, located at 1112 N. High St., from 4 to 9 p.m. The pop-up is available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, and space is limited.

“It’s a cool opportunity to come in and see some collective memorabilia and experience the game,” Kintz said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun, a lot of cool things going on… If you’re into games, you’re into PAC-MAN, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”