Mercedes-Benz is using gamescom 2026 in Cologne to mark its 140th anniversary, and the centrepiece is a motorsport legend going digital: the 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II is now playable in Fortnite and Rocket League. It joins the new CLA and the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupé as the third Mercedes model inside Epic Games’ titles. The stand also brings together the VISION ICONIC show car, two new AMG models and a history walk-through running from 1886 to today.
Mercedes-Benz has built its gamescom 2026 presence around the theme of its anniversary year, “140 Years of Innovation”. The show runs from 26 to 30 August in Cologne, and the German manufacturer is there with partners including Epic Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sennheiser and MOZA Racing.
A motorsport legend enters the game
The headline act is the Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II, the strictly limited homologation special that defined the brand’s touring-car era. It is now available to play in both Fortnite and Rocket League, making it the third Mercedes-Benz model in Epic Games’ titles alongside the new CLA and the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupé.
The company frames the move as proof that its history still resonates in digital spaces as well as physical ones — a familiar strategy for carmakers, who increasingly treat games as a way to reach audiences long before those players are in the market for a car.
Four zones on the stand
The stand is split into themed areas. Legacy Hall is a digital journey through 140 years of company history from 1886 onwards, with interactive displays covering Bertha Benz’s first long-distance drive by automobile and the brand’s motorsport record. The VISION ICONIC show car, which Mercedes-Benz presents as its view of future mobility, is on display here, along with historic PlayStation consoles and Gran Turismo.
The AMG Performance Garage pairs the new Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ and the new Mercedes-AMG GT 53 4-Door Coupé with professional racing simulators running Assetto Corsa, using MOZA Racing rigs and two new gaming wheels. Sennheiser’s latest headphones can be tried out in the same area.
Fortnite Island offers 50 gaming PCs, while the Rocket League Arena has six PlayStation 5 stations, with the same three Mercedes-Benz cars available to choose from. Visitors can also enter a “Battle Pass Challenge” for prizes.
Connected intelligence: MB.OS
Both AMG models on the stand run the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), the company’s in-house software platform. It ties infotainment, automated driving and driver assistance, comfort functions, and performance and charging into a single software architecture.
Visitors can sit in the electric CLA, where the MBUX Superscreen uses Unity’s 3D game engine and includes a 14-inch passenger display. The MBUX Virtual Assistant, built on generative AI, acts as the main interface between driver and car; according to the manufacturer, it handles more complex requests, retains conversational context and can prompt the driver proactively.
140 years, 140 places
Away from Cologne, Mercedes-Benz is running a parallel anniversary campaign in which three new S-Class saloons travel to 140 destinations across six continents. That tour continues until October.
Facts: Mercedes-Benz at gamescom 2026
- Event: gamescom 2026, Cologne, 26–30 August
- New in-game car: Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II (Fortnite and Rocket League)
- Already in-game: Mercedes-Benz CLA, Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupé
- Cars on the stand: Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+, Mercedes-AMG GT 53 4-Door Coupé, VISION ICONIC show car
- Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+: combined energy consumption 18.7–16.5 kWh/100 km, combined CO₂ emissions 0 g/km, CO₂ class A (WLTP)
- Mercedes-AMG GT 53 4-Door Coupé: combined energy consumption 18.5–15.6 kWh/100 km, combined CO₂ emissions 0 g/km, CO₂ class A (WLTP)
- Partners: Epic Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sennheiser, MOZA Racing
The stand is open to visitors for the duration of gamescom, which closes on 30 August.
Source: media.mercedes-benz.com