Gamers in Türkiye will be the first in the world to grab a McDonald’s ‘Archie’ device – a controller peripheral that keeps your controller active while you step away, presumably to eat a McDonald’s meal.
According to a press release issued on 3rd April, which I mention only to assure you that this is not an April Fool’s joke, McDonald’s Türkiye has released the ‘Archie’, a device inspired by its golden arches and brings “the controller’s analogue sticks together, allowing the character to continue moving when the player is briefly away from the screen (AFK)”.
Image credit: McDonald’s
“Being away from the screen during online gameplay – especially in high-intensity moments – can directly disrupt the flow of the game,” said Özdeş Dönen Artak, CMO of McDonald’s Türkiye (thanks, IGN). “That is why many players turn to different workarounds. We transformed this behaviour into a gamer insight and made Archie part of the McDonald’s experience by offering it as a gift to customers who order the Pro Gamer Menu.”
The Pro Gamer Menu, in case you’re wondering, includes a Big Mac, medium fries, a medium coke, and eight onion rings. Right now, the Archie is only available in Türkiye.
It’s not the first time McDonald’s has partnered up with a game company. At the end of last year, McDonald’s teamed with Capcom to introduce a number of Street Fighter-themed burgers and exclusive skins in Japan. The promotion includes a limited-edition menu of “Street Burgers” inspired by Capcom’s fighting franchise, all of which could be washed down with a McFizz drink served in a limited-edition collab cup.