“Which game is this from?”
gamescom 2026, one of the world’s largest gaming events, was held in Cologne, Germany, from August 26 to 30, 2026. The event drew 368,000 visitors from 131 countries, and one vehicle prompted that question again and again. That vehicle was CORLEO, Kawasaki’s RMV (Robotic Multi-legged Vehicle). CORLEO is a vehicle under development by Kawasaki that travels on four robotic legs.
Why did a vehicle that amazed the world at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan (Expo 2025) appear at a gaming event? Over the five days, about 38,000 people visited the booth, and some 6,100 sat astride CORLEO. We spoke with Sho Yanagiyama of the Business Architect Department, SAFE ADVENTURE Business Group.
What Is CORLEO?
CORLEO is a vehicle under development by Kawasaki. Instead of tires, it uses robotic legs equipped with feet to grip the ground and is designed primarily for off-road terrain, including rocky surfaces. It is powered by hydrogen.
CORLEO has neither a throttle nor conventional steering controls. Riders operate it by shifting their weight.
In December 2025, Kawasaki began development toward commercialization, which it is targeting for 2035. Along the way, it aims to have CORLEO adopted as an on-site mobility vehicle at Expo 2030 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Why a Gaming Event?
We wanted gamers to get to know CORLEO and join the community supporting us as we work to make it a reality.
As our Expo 2025 exhibit theme, “Impulse to Move,” suggests, people don’t move only for efficiency or convenience. People find joy in movement itself and seek out new scenery and experiences. I think that feeling is the same whether you’re on a real mountain or out in the vast landscapes of a game.
We are currently refining a riding simulator that will serve as CORLEO’s development platform, with the goal of making demo rides available in 2028.
We’re also looking at bringing this riding simulator to the gaming and esports industries. That made gamescom the natural place to go, as it brings together so many people from those industries.
About 6,100 People Sat Astride CORLEO in Five Days
This was the first time we had shown the public a model they could actually sit astride. A line formed as soon as the doors opened and never let up throughout the five-day event.
When cosplayers climbed aboard, the booth looked like a scene straight out of a video game.
What struck me was how many people told us, “I didn’t think it was real.” People who had only seen CORLEO in social media videos reacted differently when they saw it up close.: “Wait, Kawasaki is actually serious about this?” There was clearly something about seeing it in person that a screen simply cannot convey.
The Most Common Question: “When Can I Ride It?”
The most common question we received at the booth, was “When can I ride it?” accounting for14.2% of the responses. Next came “What is CORLEO?” (12.4%), “How would it be used?” (11.6%), “How fast does it go?” (10.0%), and “How much does it cost?” (9.0%).
These questions suggest that many people are already picturing themselves riding it. CORLEO is currently in development, and its price has not been determined.
When we explained that, to begin with, we’re considering letting people enjoy it at places like a riding park, many of those we spoke with found that idea convincing.
One comment I’ll never forget was, “I want to enjoy nature, even with a disability.” It reminded us once again of the value our business can offer.
We Asked About 200 People: “What Kind of Game Would It Fit Into?”
In a survey with 203 valid responses, action RPGs (30.2%) and racing games (24.3%) together accounted for more than half.
People would talk about CORLEO while naming specific game titles. It was as if it had already appeared in some game.
Our hypothesis was that CORLEO could blend naturally into the world of games. At gamescom, what began as a hypothesis became a conviction.
Searches Up 50-Fold
During the event, searches for “CORLEO” in Germany rose about 50-fold from the previous month on both the web and YouTube.
Searches for “RMV,” which had previously been almost nonexistent, also rose sharply.
Stories on CORLEO’s official Instagram account also reached about 10 times as many people as usual.
Crossing the Line Between Real and Virtual
What I picture is CORLEO showing up in the world of a game, and players riding it across new terrain. That’s the idea.
The thrill of charging across rocky, rugged terrain—first, inside a game.
From there, we want to use the riding simulator as well to offer experiences that cross the line between the real world and games.
If we can make that happen, a new culture may emerge in which people come together through CORLEO, compete, and share the sheer joy of moving. We’re moving forward with that exciting future in mind.
At Expo 2025, CORLEO showed people the future. At gamescom, CORLEO moved into a new phase: imagining that future together with gamers around the world. The journey has only just begun.
FAQs About CORLEO
Q. What is CORLEO?
A. CORLEO is a robotic multi-legged vehicle under development by Kawasaki. We call it an RMV (Robotic Multi-legged Vehicle).
Q. When will CORLEO go on sale?
A. Kawasaki is developing CORLEO with the aim of commercialization in 2035. One of its goals along the way is on-site use at Expo 2030 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Q. What powers CORLEO?
A. Hydrogen. A hydrogen engine generates electricity, which powers the four legs.
What game world would you love to see CORLEO run through?
Share your ideas with us using #CORLEO. Ideas shared from around the world will inspire our next adventure.
▶ CORLEO Official Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/kawasaki_corleo_official/
▶ CORLEO - SAFE ADVENTURE by Kawasaki on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/corleo-kawasaki
▶ SAFE ADVENTURE Official Website
- 3
![]()
