Hyundai Motor Brings Retro Arcade Fun With INSTEROID Concept Car to gamescom 2025

SEOUL/COLOGNE, August 20, 2025 – Hyundai Motor Company is making its debut at gamescom 2025, becoming the first automotive company to claim a solo spot in the ‘Retro & Family Area’ with its self-developed ‘INSTEROID Retro Arcade’ game, which combines vintage gaming charm with automotive innovation.

Hyundai Motor will operate a dedicated booth in the ‘Retro & Family Area’ at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, from August 20–24. The booth will showcase the INSTEROID concept car alongside the INSTEROID Retro Arcade game.

The company’s participation in the event reflects a strategic shift in brand communication, responding to evolving media landscapes and content consumption trends. By expanding into digital storytelling through gaming, Hyundai Motor aims to build stronger connections with younger audiences and present mobility as part of everyday digital culture.

“At gamescom, we’re delivering a unique brand experience that bridges mobility and gaming for digital natives,” said Sungwon Jee, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer. “Gaming has become a vital part of everyday digital culture for younger audiences, offering a highly immersive and interactive platform that drives active participation and brand engagement. As part of our broader content marketing strategy, this approach allows us to respond to shifting media dynamics and build emotional connections with the next generation.”

The INSTEROID concept car, based on the INSTER sub-compact EV, was first unveiled in March and integrates video game-inspired design elements. The INSTEROID Retro Arcade game stars the concept car as the lead character, drawing inspiration from classic maze games where players guide their characters to evade villains and collect points.

The game features two stages. In the first, players collect steroid-can-shaped electricity items to evolve the INSTER character into the INSTEROID. In the second, players guide the evolved character to trap the final boss within a maze and complete the mission as quickly as possible. All audiovisual elements in the game are sourced from the INSTEROID user experience (UX) designs. 

To enhance player immersion, Hyundai Motor presents the game in a classic arcade machine format. The on-site booth will host an event where top-ranking players will have their likenesses transformed into in-game characters. Visitors can further explore the INSTEROID concept car’s UX features, including the integrated BeatHouse sound system and unique sounds developed for various scenarios such as vehicle boarding and exiting, idling and drifting.

Hyundai Motor has also established a dedicated game experience space at Casper  Studio Busan, Korea, with another location set to open at Casper Studio Seoul by the end of this year. The game will also be showcased at Salone Auto Torino 2025 in September and Japan Mobility Show in October. A free online version will be available at Hyundai Motor’s official global website and Instagram (@hyundai) to reach a wider audience of gamers.

By highlighting the INSTER production model, the event is also expected to further solidify the company’s global presence in the EV market. INSTER debuted in the European market late last year and has achieved impressive sales momentum.

The INSTER model has already attracted global acclaim, winning the title of World Electric Vehicle of the Year at the 2025 World Car Awards. Additionally, it was named Best Small Electric Car for the City 2025 by What Car?, a UK-based automotive media outlet, in its 2025 Car of the Year Awards.

The gamescom is one of the world’s largest gaming events, held annually in Cologne, Germany. Since its launch in 2009, it has become a global showcase for game developers, publishers, and hardware manufacturers. Last year’s event hosted 1,462 companies from 64 countries, including major global distributors such as Microsoft Xbox.