Gaming conventions aren’t usually events where you’ll find car brands strutting their stuff. Drop by Gamescom 2022 in Cologne, Germany, though, and you’ll be greeted by a new Mini concept car being shown off at one of the exhibition areas.
The British nameplate is one of a handful of auto brands that now have a stake in the video game industry and is Gamescom 2022’s main sponsor. It’s all purely marketing, of course—but at least we end up with neat little displays like the one you see here.
It’s a Mini Concept Aceman, and it comes with a feature inspired by one of the most successful toy and video game franchises of all time: Pokémon.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
Here you go: The 2023 Toyota 86 starts at P2.328-M for the manual variant
Is the Honda ADV 160 on its way to PH?
From afar, it’s hard to tell exactly how this concept relates to the franchise. The futuristic look is there, complete with the clean surfaces, futuristic lighting, and busy-looking wheel design—but that’s about it. There’s no hint of Pokémon on the outside.
Step inside, though, and you’re able to switch on the vehicle’s ‘Pokémon Mode.’ Essentially, this turns the concept car’s cabin into a mind-numbing light show dedicated to the video game franchise. The Concept Aceman uses “advanced projection technology” and its central OLED display to show off iconic Pokémon imagery like the Pokéball, as well as Pikachu and his yellow lightning attacks.
The vehicle’s display also shows off the unit tucked inside toy packaging. This is because Mini is also selling the vehicle to visitors as an exclusive “art toy.”
Trippy stuff. The lightning attacks are neat, but we’d like to see versions dedicated to Charmander and Squirtle’s respective themes as well. What Pokémon do you think will make for good inspiration here?
Photos of the Mini Concept Aceman with Pokémon mode
