The idea of a car as simply a means of transportation is starting to feel quaint. With screens in dashboards now rivaling those in living rooms, the interior of the car has become the next frontier of entertainment design, and AirConsole is at the wheel.
This week, the in-car gaming platform, already making waves in the automotive industry, announced a partnership with the iconic game publisher Atari. Two of Atari’s legendary titles, Asteroids: Recharged and Breakout: Recharged, are now officially available to play through Volkswagen’s infotainment system in supported vehicles.
“Atari laid the foundation for generations of gamers,” notes Anthony Cliquot, CEO of AirConsole’s parent company 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.”
Classic Meets Contemporary
Both Asteroids and Breakout have been reimagined for modern players as part of Atari’s Recharged series, and now, through AirConsole, these reboots find a home on the dashboard. The move reflects a larger design story: translating classic games for a new context, one where physical space is constrained, attention spans are fragmented, and the audience is no longer tethered to the couch.
Breakout’s updated version features 50 challenging levels, power-ups such as rail guns and homing missiles, and a co-op mode that allows two players to play together. Asteroids: Recharged updates the iconic space shooter with upgraded weapons, fresh challenges, and the same frenetic pace that made it a legend. Both support quick, satisfying sessions—perfect for charging stops or idle moments in a parked car.
“The AirConsole team has a phenomenal track record of optimizing the in-car controls and producing amazing playing experiences,” adds Ethan Stearns, VP of Games at Atari. “We’re excited for Volkswagen drivers and their passengers to discover these modern versions of our classic titles.”
Designing Play for the Road
The brilliance of AirConsole lies not just in its library but in its interface. The system cleverly uses what’s already available: the infotainment screen and your smartphone. Passengers download AirConsole from Volkswagen’s In-Car Shop, launch it from the dashboard, scan a QR code, and their phones transform into game controllers, turning the cabin into a pop-up arcade.
The experience, designed for ease and immediacy, exemplifies how digital interfaces are being rethought to fit into smaller, more communal spaces, where tactile feedback, clear visuals, and intuitive play are paramount.
Cars as Cultural Venues
For designers and observers of cultural trends, the partnership between AirConsole and Atari is more than a nostalgic novelty as it signals the car’s evolving role as a digital living room, a place for connection, and a stage for iconic brands to find new audiences.
Atari joins other global names, such as Sony Pictures (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?), Mattel (UNO Car Party!, Pictionary Car Party), and Bandai Namco (PAC-MAN Championship Edition), all of whom have already expanded their IPs into the in-car space via AirConsole.
As vehicles become smarter and more autonomous, designers are increasingly asked to rethink what happens inside them. AirConsole, alongside partners like Volkswagen, Audi, and BMW, is answering that brief, turning downtime into playtime and proving that even the most utilitarian spaces can become sites of joy and creativity.
In the words of AirConsole’s ethos: Drive together. Play together.
