Gee Bee, Namco’s First Game, Returns After 47 Years on Modern Consoles

TIG SEA2 weeks ago

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Gee Bee, Namco’s First-Ever Game, Is Returning to Modern Consoles After 47 Years

Namco, one of the most iconic names in gaming history, has been part of the industry since the early days, starting its business in the 1950s before entering game development over a decade later. The company became a household name with Pac-Man in 1980, but long before that, it’s very first title Gee Bee marked the beginning of Namco’s legacy. Many players today might not even know about this milestone release or might not have even been born when it first launched.

Now, Hamster Corporation has announced through its Arcade Archives series that Gee Bee Namco’s very first arcade title, originally released in 1978 will be revived for modern platforms. The game is set to launch this October on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, offering a rare chance for both longtime fans and new players to experience an essential piece of gaming history.

About Gee Bee
Gee Bee is a block-breaking puzzle game mixed with pinball elements. Players control paddles to keep a bouncing square ball in play, aiming to destroy all blocks while hitting score targets to rack up points. The game’s standout feature is its dual-paddle control system, along with increasing ball speed that ramps up the challenge. The title later inspired sequels like Bomb Bee and Cutie Q.

The original Gee Bee was designed by Toru Iwatani, the legendary creator of Pac-Man. The concept was first drawn up as early as 1976, and while the game has appeared in past compilation collections, the Arcade Archives version will be the only way to play it on modern consoles.

In addition to Gee Bee, the Arcade Archives brand continues to re-release classic arcade titles from the 1970s through the 2000s. These releases are available in two lines: the standard ACA series and ACA Neo Geo, which features classic SNK games. Players can customize settings, tweak graphics modes, and enjoy a range of genres across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC.