Pac-Man Creator Masaya Nakamura Dies at 91

The Japanese business giant who helped put Pac-Man on the path to chomping dots and ghosts has gone to the great arcade in the sky.

Masaya Nakamura, founder of Namco, died on January 22 ... according to a release from the company on Monday.

Namco released Pac-Man in 1980 ... and has been inhaling dots at record pace ever since. The game was named the highest-grossing arcade game of all time last year.

The company didn't release any details about how Nakamura passed away. It's worth noting ... his death came 18 months after the release of "Pixels."

Nakamura now has more in common with Inky, Blinky, Pinky and Clyde.

#RIP