Time spent in your Volkswagen is set to be a good deal more entertaining. For the 2027 model year, Volkswagen is introducing AirConsole in-car gaming so that those in the car can use their smartphones as controllers and take part in multiplayer games on the infotainment screen.
When the system goes live it will come with 20 games to choose from, among them the likes of UNO Car Party!, Tetris and PAC-MAN Championship Edition. It will be an option on certain trims of the 2027 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan, Golf GTI, Golf R and ID. Buzz.
Do note there is a caveat: you can only play while the vehicle is at a standstill.
The appeal of AirConsole is that there is no need to have a box of controllers in the glovebox. The process is straightforward: scan the QR code on the VW’s screen with a compatible phone and it becomes the controller for all the occupants who want to join in.
It is a practical way to pass the time during the inevitable lulls in a day, be you putting in some minutes at a charging station with an ID. Buzz or waiting to give someone a lift. The initial offering is geared toward casual, easy-to-pick-up multiplayer fare, though Volkswagen says the roster of 20 will be added to down the line.
Volkswagen has not just put the stock AirConsole experience in its vehicles; some of the content has been made for the brand. In a special edition of PAC-MAN, the power pellets are VW logos and the bonus fruit has been swapped out for some of the company’s more recognizable vehicles. You will find similar exclusive material in Golazo! and Memory Match.
On the right models and trim levels, the game can even talk to the car. Select titles will trigger a response from the ambient interior lighting to what is going on in the game. It is a minor touch, but it makes the whole affair feel like part of the car rather than just a mobile game on a bigger screen.
AirConsole will be available on 2027 Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan, Golf GTI, Golf R, and ID. Buzz modelsÂ
There is no separate fee for AirConsole, but it is not without cost. It is bundled into the In-Vehicle Premium subscription which also covers things like a Wi-Fi hotspot and Premium Navigation.
New owners of an Atlas, Tiguan or Golf will get three months of the service for free; the ID. Buzz comes with a full year complimentary. After the trial runs its course, expect to put down $149 a year to keep using it. For the person who only wants to fire up Pac-Man now and then, that might be hard to justify. But for one already inclined to buy into Volkswagen’s connected services, the gaming is essentially a throw-in.
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