Classic Arcade Meets Cutting-Edge Tech: Volkswagen Launches PAC-MAN with Real-Time Lighting Effects in Select Models

Classic Arcade Meets Cutting-Edge Tech: Volkswagen Launches PAC-MAN with Real-Time Lighting Effects in Select Models

(IN BRIEF) Volkswagen has launched the PAC-MAN Championship Edition as part of its in-car gaming experience, now available in over 300,000 vehicles across Europe via the AirConsole app. The classic arcade game has been updated with brand-themed elements such as VW vehicle silhouettes, model logos, and rims as bonus items. Volkswagen is the first automaker to enhance gameplay with interactive interior lighting, creating a dynamic and immersive experience using features like ID. Light. Available on ID. models and select 2025 vehicles, the game requires a smartphone, Volkswagen ID, VW Connect Plus, and a download from the In-Car Shop. This marks a further step in Volkswagen’s drive to expand its digital entertainment offerings.

(PRESS RELEASE) WOLFSBURG, 14-Apr-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Volkswagen is bringing retro arcade fun into the digital age by launching the PAC-MAN Championship Edition across more than 300,000 vehicles in Europe, offering drivers and passengers a new way to enjoy gaming directly from their car’s infotainment system.

Available exclusively through the AirConsole in-car app, this latest addition to Volkswagen’s digital experience lets players revisit the iconic PAC-MAN gameplay—now reimagined with a unique automotive twist. The game can be played while the vehicle is parked, with a smartphone acting as the controller and the infotainment display serving as the gaming screen.

Volkswagen is the first carmaker to elevate in-car gaming with dynamic background lighting, delivering an immersive experience that responds in real time to player actions. On compatible ID. models, the signature ID. Light feature further enhances gameplay by visually reacting to on-screen content, creating a colorful, interactive atmosphere inside the vehicle.

The classic gameplay remains familiar: PAC-MAN navigates a maze, collecting dots while dodging ghosts. However, the Championship Edition for Volkswagen introduces new visuals and game mechanics tied to the brand’s identity. Bonus items now include silhouettes of iconic vehicles like the VW Beetle, VW Bus, and Golf IV R32, as well as emblems for performance models such as GTI, GTX, and R. Even the iconic Volkswagen wheel rims appear as collectible objects. Power pellets—essential for turning the tables on the Ghost Gang—are now styled as the Volkswagen logo.

AirConsole, developed by N-Dream, is the world’s first gaming platform tailored specifically for in-car use. It transforms a parked car into a casual gaming hub using existing digital systems—infotainment, sound, and lighting. The game portfolio caters to all age groups and provides a social experience that connects players across generations.

Volkswagen’s PAC-MAN offering is available for the ID.7, ID.5, ID.4, and ID.3 (with software version 4.0 or higher), as well as the Tayron, Tiguan, Passat, Golf Variant, and Golf models starting from model year 2025. To play, users need a Volkswagen ID, an active VW Connect Plus contract, and an internet-connected smartphone. The AirConsole app must be downloaded from the In-Car Shop before first use.

By blending nostalgic gameplay with cutting-edge vehicle technology, Volkswagen continues to enrich its digital ecosystem and respond to growing customer interest in in-car entertainment.

Media Contacts:

Philipp Dörfler
Spokesperson Golf / Assistant Systems
Tel. +49 (0) 5361 / 9-87633
philipp.doerfler@volkswagen.de

Francisca Volze
Spokesperson ID.7 | ID.Buzz | Electronics Architecture, Software and Features, Cyber Security
Tel. +49 (0) 152 22 99 74 11
francisca.volze@volkswagen.de

SOURCE: Volkswagen Group