The video game company Atari and the creators of the in-car gaming platform AirConsole are teaming up to bring modern versions of classic Atari arcade games to Volkswagen drivers.
According to the official announcement, which was made yesterday via a press release, it is now possible to play Asteroids: Recharged and Breakout: Recharged in select Volkswagen cars, with the two games joining a library of other titles that includes sports games, party games, and racing titles.
These aren't the only two games that Atari is planning on adding either, with the two companies also revealing Missile Command: Recharged is scheduled to be introduced at a later date, though precisely when has yet to be announced.
If you've been paying any attention to the automotive industry over the last few years, you'll probably recognize this as the latest in a long line of attempts to further popularize native in-car gaming, following similar efforts from other notable car companies such as BMW, Audi, and Tesla.
The idea behind these kinds of in-car entertainment projects, of course, is to give passengers in the car something interesting to do to kill time on long journeys and to keep any children in the vehicle occupied, while the driver, importantly, is allowed to continue focusing on the road, undistracted.
In order to play these games, all Volkswagen owners need to do is have an active VW Connect Plus contract and an internet connection on their smartphone, with the process requiring passengers to download AirConsole from Volkswagen's In-Car Shop, launch the app on the infotainment system, and scan the QR code on-screen with their smartphone to turn their phone into a controller.
"Atari laid the foundation for generations of gamers," Anthony Cliquot, CEO of N-Dream, the creator of AirConsole, said in the press statement. "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."