Volkswagen Bets You'll Pay Up For In-Car Gaming

VW's new gaming feature will let owners pair their smartphones as game controllers.

Photo by: Volkswagen

By: Rob Stumpf

Sep 24, at 2:05pm ET

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Volkswagen will add the ability to game on the infotainment screen on some of its new cars.
20 titles will be available at launch, including Pac-Man, Uno, and Tetris.
Passengers can use their smartphones as controllers.

If your car has an enormous screen molded into the dashboard, you might as well use it for more than just checking the time or the weather. Across the board, car companies are teasing out what digital features customers are willing to use—and perhaps more importantly, pay for. Teslas just got Grok Bot, Benzes have ChatGPT, and Cadillacs have HBO.

Volkswagen's latest move: bringing video games to some of its newer cars. The automaker announced on Wednesday that it will expand an existing partnership with AirConsole to several of its vehicles in the U.S. beginning with the 2027 model year. Tesla has had gaming in its cars for years, but this is a little different; passengers can crowd around the car's central screen and use their phones as wireless controllers.

Photo by: Volkswagen

Setup seems to be dead simple. Open your smartphone's camera app, scan a QR code, and start tapping away on the virtual controller. Depending on the game, multiple passengers can join in to a single session.

VW says that 20 of AirConsole's 50 games for cars will be available at launch, including Pac-Mac, Uno, and Tetris. Some of the games will even be customized to the brand—for example, Pac-Man's pellets are Volkswagen logos and the in-game Power Berries are replaced by "iconic Volkswagen vehicles." Some of the titles will also integrate with in-car ambient lighting to allow for a more immersive experience.

And before you ask, no, the feature can't be used when the car is in motion. The car must be parked before firing up the app.

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Volkswagen says that the feature will be baked into certain vehicles starting with the 2027 model year, including the ID Buzz, Atlas, Golf GTI, Golf R, and Tiguan.

The feature also won't be free. It requires an active subscription to VW's In-Vehicle Premium connectivity service, which costs $149 per year. The service also includes connected navigation, a wifi hotspot, premium voice control (on supported models), premium radio, and access to myQ Connected Garage. ID. Buzz buyers get 12 months of connectivity included with their vehicle purchase, while other models receive 3 months.