Mattel, Inc. (Nasdaq: MAT), AirConsole and BMW Group announced that Mattel's classic UNO card game will be unveiled for in-car gaming next week in Cologne, Germany, as part of gamescom 2024, the world's largest video game trade show. Visitors to the AirConsole booth (Hall 10.1, Stand B028 - C029) will be the first to experience UNO® Car Party! in the new BMW X3, which adapts the world's leading card game* for in-car gaming. The game will be available after a wireless update via the AirConsole platform to over 500,000 BMW and MINI vehicles on 21 August.
"We continue to increase the value of the overall digital experience for our customers," said Stephan Durach, Senior Vice President, BMW Group Development Connected Company & Technical Operations. "Our partners, AirConsole and Mattel, are helping to make in-car gaming a new social experience, and I'm thrilled to offer a family favorite like UNO for this exciting innovation."
Mattel, AirConsole and BMW Group have turned UNO into a connected toy that can be played in a brand new environment: the car. Whether a family is resting during a road trip or a group of friends stopping to decide their next move, drivers can, through AirConsole's unique game control system, connect any passenger to the game using their personal device. Up to four players can participate in a game that unites people without the restriction of language or culture. Vehicles must be parked for the game to function.
"UNO beautifully showcases the strengths of the AirConsole with a game accessible to all, a special integration with the car's hardware and a gameplay experience controlled by the phone," said Anthony Cliquot, CEO of AirConsole. "Each player can secretly view their own cards on their phone while playing on the car's infotainment system. This is an experience that would be impossible to achieve using only touchscreen or bluetooth controls on the infotainment system."
"UNO is perfect for in-car gaming because it's highly engaging and brings people together," said Erika Winterholler, Head of Business Development, Digital Gaming, Mattel. "Its simple rules are easy to learn and endlessly engaging, making it ideal for both short stops and long gaming sessions. The social nature of UNO turns any journey into a fun experience and we are very excited to bring this spirit to consumers in an innovative way with our partners at BMW and AirConsole."
From 2022, the partnership between the BMW Group and AirConsole is pioneering in-car gaming, offering intuitive and innovative gameplay in BMW vehicles via the AirConsole platform. The range of games has grown since the introduction of AirConsole, with popular games such as "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?", which launched as a world in-car premiere within the partnership between Sony Pictures Television, BMW Group and AirConsole. AirConsole is available on current models equipped with BMW/MINI Operating System 9 in combination with the BMW Digital Premium/MINI Connected Package and with BMW Operating System 8.5** in combination with BMW ConnectedDrive Professional.
Over the past five decades, UNO has maintained its legacy as an unpredictably fun, highly competitive and participatory game. UNO continues to surprise and delight its fans through innovative offerings ranging from premium physical products, mobile games, live gaming events and premium collectible card games, to participatory gameplay through products like UNO Braille and culturally related products - from fan-created UNO memes to the UNO Artiste series featuring works by artists of yesterday and today.
