Do you live in Türkiye? With a population of over 86 million, there’s a real chance you do. But most of our readers tend to come from further West, so if not… well. You’re hardly alone. Should you, in fact, be in the area, you have an opportunity to sample something rather odd, even by McDonald’s promotional standards.
The “Pro Gamer Meal” is, to put it plainly, downright bizarre. Now, that’s not because of what’s involved. It’s a Big Mac, alongside medium-sized servings of: a beverage, some french fries, and some onion rings. First… onion rings? Those aren’t available in my part of the world. Curses. Second… what’s so pro about all that? Well, it’s not so much the food, as…
It’s The Archie
I’m sorry, but what in tarnation? As spotted by IGN, McDonald’s Türkiye’s Pro Gamer Meal includes a device, called the “Archie,” which slides over a controller’s analog sticks to ensure that a player’s character continues to move even while they’re chowing down on that aforementioned Big Mac. Why? Well, let’s ask a pro gamer.
“Being away from the screen during online gameplay—especially in high-intensity moments—can directly disrupt the flow of the game,” explains Özdeş Dönen Artak, McDonald’s Türkiye CMO. Ah. I see. And the Archie, which is shaped like the fast food chain’s iconic golden arches, is the solution to a problem long in need of one. I guess? He continues:
“That is why many players turn to different workarounds. We transformed this behavior 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 press release refers to this whole endeavor with the following tagline: “Turning Gamer Insight into Experience.” Well, here at TheGamer, I can safely say that we have never provided this particular insight, but who are we to argue with the CMO of McDonald’s Türkiye? If you’re in the mood for McDonald’s, and you happen to live in Istanbul or its vast surroundings, I suppose you could do worse than to give this Archie of theirs a shot. After all, being away from the screen during online gameplay, especially in high-intensity moments, can indeed disrupt the flow of the game.
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