It has been a big couple of weeks for Fortnite. Its latest season kicked off last month, ushering in a week and a bit of absolutely no building, a decision that very much split the millions who play the game on a regular basis. Fortnite creators Epic also committed to donating everything spent in-game to charities aiding Ukrainians who have been affected by the Russian invasion. Those efforts came to an end over the weekend and totaled $144 million raised.
This week, Fortnite is making headlines for a far more bizarre reason. Coca-Cola is using the game as a platform to launch its newest brand of Coke. While not an official crossover, Coca-Cola has employed the help of gaming organization PWR and built its own island in Fortnite Creative. The island includes four “sensory-inspired, multiplayer mini-games” and all of it has been designed to help sell a new soda.
You might question why a virtual experience is being used to advertise something tangible. Well, before Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte hits store shelves, you will be able to try it out in Fortnite. How exactly that works remains unclear. You obviously won't be able to taste it, nor will you be able to even hold the can in your hands. The point is really just so you know it exists, and when it does eventually arrive in shops you will see it and say “hey, the drink from the game, I'll buy that”.
At this point, you're probably wondering what exactly Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Byte is. According to Coke, it's “a new limited-edition ‘pixel-flavored’ beverage born in the metaverse." If you know what pixels taste like, then you'll probably have a pretty good idea of what the new drink offers up without having to try it. If you don't, you'll have to wait for the drink to arrive to find out what flavor it actually is.
The good news is those of you in select countries in Latin America should be able to find cans of Zero Sugar Byte right now, so do let us know what pixels taste like. The new drink launches in the US for a limited time on May 2, and then in China on May 23. As for the Fortnite connection, Coca-Cola's island, which is named Pixel Point, and its mini-games are available now. The code for the island is 8565-0287-3178 if you fancy a virtual sip of pixel-flavored Coke.