Atari And AirConsole Turn Cars Into Four-Wheeled Games Consoles
In-car entertainment systems aren’t new, but the way they’re used is always evolving. In the last two years, AirConsole, the world’s first gaming platform specifically designed for cars, has rolled out game support for Audi and BMW. Now, it’s partnered with Atari to bring classic video games into Volkswagens.
AirConsole is the work of N-Dream, a company based in Zurich, Switzerland, that launched the cloud-based gaming subscription service in 2015. To date, there are over 146 titles available from studios such as Team 17, although the car version of AirConsole only has 31 games at the moment, including the new Atari additions of Asteroids and Breakout: Recharged.
“The AirConsole team has a phenomenal track record of optimizing the in-car controls and producing amazing playing experiences in vehicles,” said Ethan Stearns, VP of Games at Atari. “We are excited for Volkswagen drivers and their passengers to discover these modern versions of our classic titles.”
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True Gaming on The Go
This news takes the idea of mobile gaming to its next logical level, although concerns about driver safety are worth raising. The main idea is that, with drivers and their passengers routinely spending time in cars not actually moving (refueling, waiting to pick people up, and so on) that’s an ideal time for a quick game.
As for when the car is in motion, N-Dream haven’t commented on how the driver is protected from distraction in a Volkswagen; Audis with AirConsole capability do have passenger screens with Active Privacy Mode, what the car manufacturer calls a “unique digital curtain that blocks the screen from the driver to prevent distraction.”
Some models of BMWs also include passenger screens, but Volkswagen isn’t too far behind in how its driver screen set-up works: some of its fastback saloons utilize AR heads-up displays, which project only the info the driver needs to see to reduce the risk of distraction from the main cockpit screen.
AirConsole And The Future of Gaming
With cloud-streamed games, the perennial car-ride question of “Are we there yet?” is likely to become a distant memory. Volkswagen drivers can use AirConsole if they have an active VW Connect Plus contract and an active internet connection on their smartphone, plus of course a subscription to AirConsole.
Atari have licensed Asteroids: Recharged and Breakout: Recharged, and these updated classic titles join the likes of Pac-Man, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Overcooked, and UNO. Atari will also add Missile Command: Recharged to the roster soon.
“Atari laid the foundation for generations of gamers,” said Anthony Cliquot, CEO of N-Dream. “To welcome these timeless titles onto AirConsole shows that our vision for in-car play is being embraced by the world’s most trusted entertainment brands.”
