Razer and Lexus have been busy. By busy, I mean they’ve been fitting RGB lights to a Lexus TX SUV in an attempt to build a gamer car. It’s one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen.
The two companies have had this in the works for a while, with a three-part series published on the Lexus YouTube page. They’re not long episodes, 3 minutes and 20 seconds at most, and the whole thing reeks of PR stunt, but we will stride in this endeavour.
The companies describe the ‘prototype’ car as a “seamlessly integrated, powerful multiplayer gaming platform set in the luxury of a Lexus TX’s spacious rear rows,” while showing vision of the back seats of the car.
The backs of the front seats have been fitted with gaming monitors, and every seat is a Razer gaming chair – with RGB nonetheless – while the front seats have a shared central screen. There are even what appears to be fake sticks of RAM behind the back seats, looking a bit like a Flux Capacitor (except instead of time travel, they make sure you can have more Google Chrome windows open).
The actual computer is in the boot, along with charging docks for Razer laptops. Why? I don’t know. I don’t care.
Actually, after rewatching the video, god this is so bizarrely shot, even for what’s really just an ad. Some gamers are invited to try the car out, but they just put headsets on and mash the keyboards in the backseat. What are you guys doing???
“Lexus and Razer – the ultimate combination to create the perfect gaming vehicle,” the video narrators add.
Not to steal Razer’s thunder, but there is a more perfect gaming vehicle – Mini’s Pokémon car, a collab between BMW and Nintendo/Gamefreak.
This was a slightly modified Mini Aceman concept, fitted with some Pikachu stickers on the windows and doors, with a special ‘Pokémon mode’ in the centre console. It was good! It doesn’t pretend like you’re going to game in it, which sounds like a f&*king horrible experience, but it does have some really cool art and animations, tying into the car being electric, because obviously the yellow mouse is an electric-type monster.
Razer’s gamer car, however, looks like a crushed Dorito in a couch cushion. It looks like loud tactile keyboard switches. It looks like it screams at you through a microphone.
It also seems like a missed opportunity to not make it one of Lexus’ electric models, but I don’t really care, it’s a PR stunt. It might show up at E3 PAX or Gamescom at the Razer booth, with con-goers encouraged to game in the backseat, but that’s about it – Lexus isn’t really building this thing, and the standard TX isn’t even coming to Australia.
I can’t even give it credit for having RGB in the cabin, the new Tesla Model 3 has that in the base model (although this Lexus has RGB lights on the outside as well).
Anyhow, Razer, bring this to PAX Melbourne in 2024. I would like to see the gamer car.
Image: Razer
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