Can passengers play games in a Tesla while driving?
By Lation, Model Y owner · Updated
Not with Tesla's own games: Arcade and Toybox games only run in Park since Tesla shut down "Passenger Play" in December 2021. Passengers can still play on the center screen while the car is moving by streaming a game from their own PC with Gigaplay, which runs in the car's browser and keeps going after the car leaves Park. It's for the passenger seat: the screen is in the driver's view, and some places, California among them, prohibit that while driving.
What happened to Passenger Play
- In December 2020 Tesla let passengers play some Arcade games while the car was moving.
- In December 2021 the US safety regulator, NHTSA, opened an inquiry into about 580,000 cars, and Tesla locked games to Park in an update.
- NHTSA closed the inquiry in May 2023 without a recall, but the lock stayed.
What passengers can play now
| Option | Screen | While moving |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Arcade and Toybox | Center | No, Park only |
| Cloud gaming in the browser (Xbox, GeForce NOW) | Center | No, the browser's video player pauses outside Park |
| Your own PC with Gigaplay | Center | Yes |
| A phone, tablet or handheld | The passenger's own | Yes |
Gigaplay streams your PC's library: Steam, Epic games like Fortnite, Xbox app games like Minecraft, or the whole desktop. Set-up is one installer on the PC and a code in the car; see how to play Steam games on a Tesla.
The law and the driver
- Laws differ by state and country. California's Vehicle Code 27602, for example, bans driving with a screen showing entertainment where the driver can see it.
- The center screen sits between the front seats, in the driver's view. Use it for the passenger, where it's allowed, and never as the driver.
- A rear screen (newer Model S, X, 3 and Y) is out of the driver's view, but it can't run the browser.
If the browser or games are blocked
Tesla update 2026.20 added parental controls that can block the Browser, Theater and Arcade for a driver profile. If the browser won't open, check the profile's restrictions.
Questions
Can I play Tesla Arcade games while driving?
No. Since Tesla's December 2021 update, Arcade games need the car in Park.
What controller do I need?
A PS5 DualSense paired with the car over Bluetooth works with Arcade and with games streamed from your PC; how to pair it.
Does it use a lot of data?
At full quality (1080p, 60 frames a second) about 9 GB an hour. On a weak signal it lowers the quality instead of freezing.
Tested in a 2022 Model Y in November 2026.