Hyundai presents INSTEROID retro arcade concept car at gamescom 2025

Hyundai showcased its INSTEROID retro arcade concept car and game at gamescom 2025 in Cologne, highlighting digital storytelling, EV success, and youth engagement.

Hyundai Motor Company has made its debut at gamescom 2025 in Cologne, becoming the first carmaker to secure a solo presence in the Retro & Family Area. The company unveiled its INSTEROID concept car alongside a self-developed retro arcade game of the same name, blending automotive design with digital entertainment. For Hyundai, the appearance was more than an exhibition stunt — it was a statement of intent to reach younger audiences through new cultural channels.

The INSTEROID is a design study based on the production INSTER EV. While the road-going model has already earned awards in Europe for its range and practicality, the concept shifts toward a video game-inspired look. Wide bodywork, a rear wing, lightweight seats and a custom sound experience — including effects for drifting, idling and boarding — underline its role as a cultural experiment rather than a vehicle headed for production.

The INSTEROID Retro Arcade game captures the spirit of classic maze titles. In the first stage, players collect energy cans to evolve the INSTER into the INSTEROID. In the second, the evolved character must trap a final boss inside the maze. The game is presented in a vintage-style arcade cabinet at gamescom and will also be available for free online on Hyundai’s global website and Instagram. A playful twist: top-ranked players at the booth will see their likenesses turned into in-game characters.

This approach fits into Hyundai’s wider digital storytelling strategy. The brand has already experimented with virtual platforms such as Roblox and ZEPETO, and earlier this year introduced an Insteroid-themed kart in the popular mobile game KartRider Rush+. At gamescom, Hyundai went further, placing its car not just on display but at the center of an interactive media experience.

The broader market context is significant. Europe’s EV segment in 2025 is driven by the arrival of affordable models like the Renault 5 E-Tech and Citroën ë-C3. Hyundai’s INSTER aims to carve out its position with one of the longest ranges in its class, earning the title of World Electric Vehicle of the Year and recognition from the UK magazine What Car?. By linking its gaming initiatives with the promotion of the INSTER, Hyundai is betting on emotional engagement as a complement to conventional sales strategies.

For now, the INSTEROID remains a pure design and storytelling project, with no production plans. Yet its presence at one of the world’s largest gaming events shows how Hyundai is experimenting with new ways to capture attention in a crowded EV market. The move may not directly boost sales today, but it signals how brand communication is shifting to meet the expectations of digital natives.