Gamer fuel drinks, Fortnite-themed menus and burritos backing fighters show food culture is now firmly on the console. With more than 3.3 billion gamers worldwide, the market scale is staggering, and brands are accelerating efforts to meet players where they compete. Collectible cans and late-night deals prove dining is currently part of the action, not just a pause from the game.
Sponsorships tied to tournaments and branded maps in top titles reveal how deep these collaborations run. Even mascots and menu items now score digital cameos, turning drinks and fast foods into part of the game plan.
Food and gaming level up in 2025
With gaming booming at record speed, food culture can no longer sit on the sidelines, especially as esports grows into a mainstream spectacle. In the U.S. alone, more than 3,000 professional competitors highlight how fast the scene is maturing. With the industry projected to hit $691 billion by 2029, the prize is simply too big for food brands to ignore.
The number of gamers explains why energy drinks, snack makers and fast-food chains are racing onto the virtual stage. Limited-edition cans tied to big-name titles turn everyday beverages into collectible merch, while restaurants use late-night promotions to lock in hungry players just as easily as they lock in new game content.
Drinks built for the digital arena
The world of gamer fuel drinks is as competitive as the games themselves, with brands eager to claim health bars and hearts alike. These companies don’t just quench thirst; they market an identity that turns every sip into part of the play.
G Fuel has carved out its own niche by leaning into influencer culture with its flagship PewDiePie Collector’s Box. The limited-edition set includes a redesigned Lingonberry Energy Tub, an exclusive PewDiePie T-shirt and a custom collector’s box, turning fan loyalty into a tangible loot drop of a fresh visual upgrade.
Long tied to extreme sports, Red Bull now channels that adrenaline into esports with Red Bull Home Ground returning Nov. 13-16, 2025, in New York City. The off-season VALORANT tournament invites top teams like T1, FNATIC, G2 Esports, Sentinels and ZETA DIVISION for a high-stakes showdown of strategy with spectacle. Since its 2021 debut, the event has built global rivalries and electric atmospheres, and with T1 back to defend their 2024 crown, the pressure is on.
Monster Energy takes a high-voltage route, powering up collaborations with esports leagues like ESL and titles such as Call of Duty. Its latest partnership with Call of Duty offered exclusive operator skins, double XP boosts and weapon blueprints, making Monster a direct power-up in hand and on screen.
Rockstar Energy levels up with an extended partnership alongside NRG and its digital brand Full Squad Gaming. Their products now appear in the hit series “Who’s the Imposter: Celebrity Edition,” which debuted in June 2024 and has already pulled in hundreds of millions of social media views. By tying cans to exclusive content and immersive fan experiences, Rockstar is plugging directly into gaming culture with a soundtrack of competition and community.
Restaurants join the raid
Fast-food brands are finding clever ways to load extra bonuses into their menus, and the crossover between dinner and digital worlds is only growing stronger. The result is a new kind of fandom, where a takeout box can double as a power-up.
In 2023, German esports organisation BIG, or Berlin International Gaming, signed a long-term partnership with Pizza Hut, focusing on its League of Legends and TrackMania divisions. The chain’s branding appeared across BIG’s social media platforms, while activations highlighted community nights, meet-and-greets and promotions for Pizza Hut Melts.
Esports event production company eFuse teamed up with North American chain Whataburger to launch a Fortnite collaboration built around the chain’s new coffee line. The deal produced a custom Fortnite map featuring Whataburger’s mascot and food items as in-game tools, alongside a $25,000 tournament that kicked off in July 2024 with qualifiers and culminated on July 22 with top teams and popular Fortnite creators.
Disguised, the esports organisation created by streamer Jeremy “Disguised Toast” Wang, partnered with Chipotle Mexican Grill in May 2024 to debut in the fighting game community. The deal introduced Tekken 8 player Phi “PhiDX” Lam as its first signing ahead of EVO 2024, while Chipotle also became a presenting partner for the tournament and a commercial partner of the Tekken World Tour.
Food meets esports
When burgers spawn maps and burritos back championship rosters, food brands prove they’re active players in the esports arena. The crossovers may sound whimsical, but they signal a serious business strategy as dining tables and gaming tables merge into one competitive stage. For gamers, dinner now comes with loot drops; for brands, the scoreboard tracks cravings satisfied as much as matches won.
Zuzana Paar is the visionary behind five inspiring websites: Amazing Travel Life, Low Carb No Carb, Best Clean Eating, Tiny Batch Cooking and Sustainable Life Ideas. As a content creator, recipe developer, blogger and photographer, Zuzana shares her diverse skills through breathtaking travel adventures, healthy recipes and eco-friendly living tips. Her work inspires readers to live their best, healthiest and most sustainable lives.
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