Volkswagen brings PAC-MAN to in-car screens with AirConsole

PAC-MAN arrives in over 300,000 Volkswagen vehicles via AirConsole app, offering immersive lighting and smartphone controls. Discover this gaming innovation.

Volkswagen is taking digital innovation to the next level by introducing the iconic PAC-MAN Championship Edition to over 300,000 vehicles across Europe. The game is available via the AirConsole in-car app, developed by Swiss company N-Dream AG. It runs on the infotainment screen while the driver or passenger uses a smartphone as a controller.

This rollout stems from Volkswagen’s collaboration with AirConsole and Bandai Namco Entertainment. Notably, Volkswagen is the first automaker to enhance the gaming experience with synchronized dynamic ambient lighting—interior lights and the ID. Light system react to in-game events, adding depth and immersion.

The updated PAC-MAN retains the classic gameplay of maneuvering through mazes and avoiding ghosts. But this edition offers a unique Volkswagen twist: bonus points come from collecting silhouettes of models like the Beetle, VW Bus, and Golf IV R32, as well as brand icons like GTI, GTX, and R. Even the signature “power pellets” have been transformed into the Volkswagen logo.

AirConsole bills itself as the world’s first gaming platform designed specifically for cars. Already used in BMW vehicles, the platform is now being extended to compatible Volkswagen models including the ID.7, ID.5, ID.4, ID.3 (with ID. Software 4.0 or later), Tayron, Tiguan, Passat, Golf Variant, and the 2025 Golf. A Volkswagen ID, an active VW Connect Plus contract, and a smartphone with an internet connection are required to play.

AirConsole offers a premium “Hero” subscription—priced around $7.99/month in Europe—that provides ad-free access to all games. The app is available via the In-Car Shop, and smartphone versions can be downloaded from the App Store, Google Play, Amazon Appstore, or Huawei AppGallery. Usage data for AirConsole in Volkswagen vehicles has not yet been made public, nor have developers shared detailed technical insights.

Nonetheless, PAC-MAN’s arrival in the car marks a shift in how we experience entertainment on the move. Further expansion is likely: AirConsole previously announced that an adapted version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” would launch for in-car play in BMWs, hinting at more to come.

Source: volkswagen-newsroom.com