<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
  <periodOfReport>2003-09-19</periodOfReport>
  <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001022080</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MIDWAY GAMES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MWY</issuerTradingSymbol>
  </issuer>
  <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001099523</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>NICASTRO NEIL D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MIDWAY GAMES INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2704 WEST ROSCOE ST.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60618</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
      <isDirector>1</isDirector>
      <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
      <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
      <isOther>1</isOther>
      <otherText>Chairman of the Board</otherText>
    </reportingOwnerRelationship>
  </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>990421</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeHolding>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>607846</value>
          <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeHolding>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Director Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>20.00</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F2"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2006-10-29</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>500000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>500000</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Director Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>16.50</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F2"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2008-05-17</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>150000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>150000</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>8.00</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F2"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2009-01-28</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>911850</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>911850</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Director Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>13.50</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F3"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2010-01-30</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>150000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>150000</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>7.00</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F2"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2005-06-30</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>300000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>300000</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Warrant to Purchase Common Stock, $.01 par value</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>9.33</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F2"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2004-05-21</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>50000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>50000</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>13.70</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F4"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2012-01-14</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>300000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>300000</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>5.29</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F2"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2012-09-02</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>64314</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>64314</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Right to Convert Severance Payment into Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>3.2765</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F5"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2006-05-01</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>599259</value>
          <footnoteId id="F5"/>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>599259</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeHolding>
    <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
        <value>Director Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <value>3.15</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
        <value>2003-09-19</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
        <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
        <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
        <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
        <value></value>
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
        <transactionShares>
          <value>25000</value>
        </transactionShares>
        <transactionPricePerShare>
          <value>0</value>
        </transactionPricePerShare>
        <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
          <value>A</value>
        </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
        <footnoteId id="F2"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
        <value>2013-09-18</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
        <underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
        </underlyingSecurityTitle>
        <underlyingSecurityShares>
          <value>25000</value>
        </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
        <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
          <value>25000</value>
        </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
        <directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <value>D</value>
        </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeTransaction>
  </derivativeTable>
  <footnotes>
    <footnote id="F1">Mr. Nicastro will receive these shares pursuant to a Severance Agreement dated May 6, 2003 and pursuant to his employment agreement as follows: beginning on June 1, 2006 and continuing thereafter for a period of three years he shall receive 16,884 shares per month and 22 additional shares during the 36th month.  In the event that for any consecutive 30 trading days during the 35 months following May 6, 2003 the weighted average price of the Company's Common Stock is at least $7.50 per share, then Mr. Nicastro shall receive these shares within 5 business days.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F2">Currently exercisable.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F3">Up to 80% is currently exercisable; up to 100% is exercisable 1/31/04.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F4">Up to 40% is currently exercisable; up to 60% is exercisable 1/15/04; up to 80% is exercisable 1/15/05; and up to 100% is exercisable 1/15/06.</footnote>
    <footnote id="F5">After April 6, 2006 and prior to May 1, 2006 Mr. Nicastro may convert Deferred Severance in the amount of $1,963,460 into 599,259 shares of common stock at the conversion price of $3.27648 pursuant to his Severance Agreement dated May 6, 2003.  In the event that for any consecutive 30 trading days during the 35 months following May 6, 2003 the weighted average price of the Company's Common Stock is at least $10.00 per share, then Mr. Nicastro shall receive these shares within 5 business days.</footnote>
  </footnotes>
  <ownerSignature>
    <signatureName>/s/ Neil D. Nicastro</signatureName>
    <signatureDate>2003-09-23</signatureDate>
  </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

