Whataburger is diving into the world of Fortnite through an epic collaboration with the online game.
The fast-food restaurant chain has unveiled a new Whataburger-themed map titled "Bedwars," where players create four teams of three and defend their beds from other teams while simultaneously attacking their bases.
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True to its name, Bedwars will be a daytime map, revolving around early morning coffee runs and popular breakfast foods. According to a press release, the tournament will feature recognizable Whataburger characters and restaurant items, such as:
- Custom Whataburger-themed beds and restaurant island bases
- WhataGuy as a non-player character (NPC)
- Whataburger-inspired "Consumables"
- Whataburger-themed "Power-ups," such as Iced Coffee and Breakfast Burgers
- Whataburger Table Tent keys for vault access
- Additional boosts and buffs obtained through map interactions
"Breakfast In Bedwars," which also marks Whataburger's first Fortnite Tournament, officially kicked off last Monday and will run until July 15.
To spice things up, the brand and the gaming platform are giving winning teams a chance to win up to $25,000 in cash prizes. All they have to do is post their best clips playing on the new map on X with the hashtag #BreakfastInBedwars.
The top 16 submissions will be chosen, and players will be invited to compete alongside their teammates in a qualifier on July 17. Four teams will advance to the main event happening on July 22 to compete together with popular Fortnite creators, with the first players getting $10,000 from the $25,000 prize pool.
To announce the collaboration, Whataburger launched a teaser trailer to generate hype for the new game mode.
A 24-second spot sees a group of friends pointing at a mysterious landscape, floating in the distance behind a Whataburger restaurant. It's then revealed that this was "Bedwars," and viewers get a sneak peek of Whataguy's NPC version, as well as a sneak peek into the new mode's gameplay and characters.
The ad ends with the code to the map, as Whataburger asks players to "jump in."
A Go-To for Brands
Whataburger is the latest company to expand its marketing initiatives by tapping into popular gaming platforms like Fortnite. Last month, legendary rock band Metallica collaborated with the gaming giant to become the latest headliner of the "Fortnite Festival."
The partnership also included the "brand-new, musical PVP experience" Battle Stage, as well as in-game rewards as well as a Lego form of the four Metallica members.
It's no surprise that brands flock to the gaming platform.
Its previous brand collaborations, including the Galactus event with Marvel, the Travis Scott concert, and the Marshmello concert raked in 15.3 million, 12.3 million, and 10.7 million concurrent players respectively.
With Fortnite's religious following, it's only a matter of time before other brands hop on the bandwagon.