At gamescom 2026, Ukrainian studio Smokoko is presenting RACE: Rocket Arena Car Extreme. It is an action-packed combat racing game that has already reached more than 70 million installs on mobile Android devices. Following its recent release on Nintendo Switch, where Nintendo players can get and play it, the team is now preparing fully adapted versions for PC, Xbox and PlayStation.
In this interview, Alexandr Zalevsky, CEO of Smokoko Ltd, discusses the studio’s long-standing passion for racing games, the evolution of RACE beyond mobile platforms, the importance of balancing skill, spectacle and customization and why human creativity should remain at the heart of game development.
What project are you presenting at gamescom 2026? Why did you choose this particular genre and setting?
At gamescom 2026, we are presenting RACE: Rocket Arena Car Extreme. The game is already available on Google Play and the App Store, where it has reached more than 70 million installs. We recently released it on Nintendo Switch, and we are currently working on PC, Xbox and PlayStation versions. It is important to note that the new version is not simply a direct mobile port. It has been significantly reworked and fully adapted for new platforms, their audiences and their control systems. Racing has been our passion since the company was founded in 2010. It is the genre in which we have the most experience, and it allows us to combine everything we love about games: speed, competition, spectacular action and powerful emotions.
How do you combine speed, vehicular action and competition without overwhelming the player?
We do not see speed, vehicular action and competition as separate elements competing for the player’s attention. For fans of this genre, they are essential parts of the same experience. The key is to make them work together naturally. Speed creates tension, combat makes every race unpredictable, and competition gives every action a clear purpose. When these elements are properly balanced, they do not overwhelm the player—they create exactly the kind of intense and exciting experience racing fans are looking for.
What matters most to your audience: skill, spectacle or customization?
We believe that all three are equally important. Skill gives players a reason to improve, spectacle creates memorable moments, and customization allows them to express themselves and develop a stronger connection with their vehicles. It is the combination of these elements that creates the strongest emotions and keeps the experience engaging over time.
Who are your ideal players, and do you expect to meet them at the event?
Our ideal players are those who stay with a game for a long time, look forward to new updates and are genuinely excited to discover the next games we create for them. They are not simply playing through the available content and moving on. They become part of the game’s community, share feedback and follow its development. We definitely hope to meet many of these players at gamescom, as well as introduce RACE to people discovering it for the first time.
Which racing or combat moment best showcases the game to someone seeing it for the first time?
The perfect RACE moment is launching rockets while driving at full speed, overtaking an opponent at the last possible second and crossing the finish line by the smallest possible margin. That combination of combat, speed and an unpredictable finish captures the essence of the game. Even someone seeing RACE for the first time can immediately understand the excitement we want to deliver.
What sets your company or game apart from other projects presented at gamescom?
Our slogan, “Play like a child,” reflects the message we want to share with players of every age and gender. Our mission is to create genuine emotions. For younger players, we want to create exciting new memories. For older players, we want to remind them of the feelings they experienced when they first discovered games as children—the curiosity, excitement and pure joy of playing. We create our games with care and passion, and every member of the team contributes something personal to the final experience. We believe that this human connection can be felt in the games we make.
How has your company or project changed over the past year? What are you doing differently today?
Over the past year, one of our biggest steps has been expanding beyond mobile platforms. We released the game on Nintendo Switch and began adapting it for PC, Xbox and PlayStation. This process has encouraged us to rethink many parts of the experience rather than simply transferring the existing game to new devices. Even now, we do not consider RACE to be a finished or definitive version of our original vision. There are always new ideas, changing player expectations and new market realities. Today, we are more focused than ever on listening to our audience and adapting the project without losing its identity.
What stereotype about the Ukrainian game development industry would you like to challenge?
We do not believe that Ukrainian game developers still need to prove that they can compete internationally. Ukrainian specialists have long been among the strongest professionals in the global game industry. Many internationally successful games have been created by Ukrainian studios, while Ukrainian developers, artists and other specialists have also made major contributions to global hits produced by international companies. Rather than challenging a specific stereotype, we would like to continue demonstrating the creativity, technical expertise and resilience of the Ukrainian game development community.
Which technologies or processes currently have the greatest impact on your work?
At gamescom 2026, Smokoko is ready to introduce this new chapter of RACE to both its long-standing community and players discovering the game for the first time! Come and see it yourself!
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