Hyundai’s Crater Concept has found somewhere it can get properly muddy without anyone worrying about scratching the paint.
The compact electric off-roader has joined “The Crew Motorfest”, Ubisoft Ivory Tower’s open-world racing game, as part of its Season 11 off-road update.
Hyundai said it is the first Korean carmaker to have a vehicle officially featured in the game.
Crater is no production Hyundai. Revealed in Los Angeles last year, the concept was developed at Hyundai America Technical Center in California as a tougher interpretation of the company’s XRT off-road design direction.
Its virtual version gets to do things the show car cannot. Players can use a new winch to recover the vehicle, shift obstacles out of the way and tackle rough terrain.
They can also modify Crater, display their creations through Custom Show or build off-road courses with the game’s TrackForge tool.
Hyundai and Ubisoft are taking the tie-up further with influencer vehicle reviews, custom Crater courses and live races involving players.
And Crater will not be driving alone for long. Hyundai said more of its vehicles will be added to The Crew Motorfest in stages, although it has yet to say which models are next.
Hyundai has been steadily moving into gaming, with previous appearances spanning Roblox, Fortnite, Rocket League, Top Eleven and Asphalt Legends.
Hyundai said gaming is part of its strategy to reach next-generation customers through platforms where they already spend time.
