Riot games and Coca-Cola have partnered to launch a new limited-edition League of Legends branded drink. The press release announcing Coca Cola Ultimate promises that the drink will taste like experience points (+XP) and “provide fans and players the taste of experience points (+XP) and celebrate every player’s journey”.

Gamers represent a demographic that is fiercely pursued by mainstream food and beverage brands. Coca-Cola Ultimate will launch on June 12 and is inspired by different features of the game. It promises to provide the first-ever taste of +XP, which are points gained based on time spent playing the game. According to the same press release, the drink will provide “immersive in-game experiences and innovative digital technology…. like never before”.

As with other Coca Cola limited-edition beverages, the Ultimate actual flavour will remain a mystery. ?It is not surprising, therefore, that a recent post on www.foodnetwork.com, claiming that it was given a pre-launch taste and that the drink has a “super mellow, citrus-peachy flavour that seems to fade quickly off the tongue”, has been deleted.

Launched last year, the Coca-Cola Creations platform aims to create limited-edition flavours with collaborators from the music, gaming and fashion industry. Other limited-edition drinks, like Ultimate, have included Starlight, which featured a QR code that granted customers access to a holographic Ava Max concert and Dreamworld where drinkers could buy virtual merchandise for their online avatars.

Fertile ground for beverage and food companies

In a study carried out with more than 21,000 gamers or viewers aged 10 to 65, across North America, Latin America, and Western Europe, Newzoo discovered that around 80% of gamers across these regions regularly eat or drink while playing games. Indeed, gaming and music have long provided fertile ground for beverage and food companies. In 2021, Pizza Hut partnered with Pac-Man for a limited-edition “playable” Pac-Man box, featuring a QR code that directed players to the game on their phones, with the added option to share scores via social media to qualify for a prize sweepstakes. PepsiCo have developed Mountain Dew Game Fuel containing theanine and caffeine specifically for gamers and Red Bull has four dedicated gaming facilities in Tokyo, London, Stockholm and Aarhus.

Interested in iGaming? SiGMA is coming to Brazil

Join us in Sao Paolo from the 14 -18 June for the SiGMA Americas in association with the Brazilian iGaming Summit.

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