Oh, what the gaming munchies can do to you. After all, there’s no doubt that snacking is essentially part of the gaming experience. Who wouldn’t want a delicious, flavorful, filling meal and an ice-cold drink that can sustain you while playing video games?
In the case of famous gaming influencer Alodia Gosiengfiao, her recent food cravings have led to an interesting question: do McDo food items exist in some of today’s most popular video games? It’s a question that inevitably sparked a big gamer movement, propelling some of the country’s top gamers, streamers, and their followers to hunt for McDo menu items in their favorite games so that they can find out for themselves.
Last November 26, Alodia, perhaps craving a good snack during her regular gaming session, posted a screengrab from the popular open-world game Grand Theft Auto V. The photo shows what seems to be a burger with two beef patties and lettuce. “Dear McDonald’s, nagpaparamdam ka pati sa GTA V ha! Mukhang Big Mac ‘to, don’t you think? Parang #ThisIsMcDonalds! I’m craving na” [“Dear McDonald’s, you’re making your presence felt even in GTA V! This looks like a Big Mac, don’t you think? Seems like #ThisIsMcDonalds! Now I’m craving,”] she posted.
Likely intrigued by the possibility of McDo food items hiding in plain sight in other popular video games, many Filipino gamers and streamers took Alodia’s post as a challenge and began a virtual hunt of their own.
And based on their search, items that resemble the signature McDonald’s burgers have a ubiquitous presence in video games.
Responding to Alodia, gaming streamer Ann B. Mateo posted a screengrab of Hank Anderson from the game Detroit: Become Human, who was about to take a bite of a hefty burger. “Iba ka McDonald’s! Naglalaro lang ako ng Detroit: Become Human pero nagutom ako sa nakita kong Quarter Pounder with Cheese!” [“You’re something else, McDonald’s! I’m just playing Detroit: Become Human here, but I got hungry when I saw this Quarter Pounder with Cheese!”] she said in a Facebook post.
Meanwhile, video game streamer Dexie Diaz is more than convinced that the two-patty burger with cheese she saw in the video game she’s playing is indeed a Big Mac. “Alam na this! It’s a sign” [“You know it! It’s a sign,”] Dexie quipped.
Aside from Big Mac and Quarter Pounder sandwiches, professional gamers and streamers such as Rojean Delos Reyes, Tisay Gaming, NikkiNikki, DonNn, and Shehyey, among others, spotted other items that resembled McDonald’s menu items. These favorites include the hot fudge sundae, McChicken, and McSpaghetti in games like The Sims 4, Yakuza Kiwami, Fall Guys, and The Last of Us.
It didn’t take long before their followers and other gamers joined in the fun and conducted their own McDonald’s scavenger hunts—a search that yielded even more exciting finds.
McDonald’s Cheeseburger look-alikes are familiar sights in cooking games; some gamers even made burgers in-game that resemble the McDonald’s offering. But they’re in unexpected places, too. Some found the McDo Big Mac in their crossword and puzzle games, while others saw what appears to be McDonald’s-inspired posters promoting Big Mac meals in games such as Infamous: Second Son and The Division 2.
Do these findings confirm the strong presence of McDonald’s in the vast gaming multiverse? Only the final results of the hunt will tell – but the progress so far is extremely promising and exciting.
Back to Alodia – the official McDonald’s Facebook page acknowledged that her Grand Theft Auto V burger find does look like a Big Mac. “Wonder what other McDo food items are hiding in video games?” it asked.
Alodia, as well as the other gamers and streamers who found McDonald’s items in video games, were awarded some yummy goodies—to help them curb those gaming cravings, no doubt.
“OMG! Senpai noticed me!! Thanks, McDonald’s! My Big Mac craving is satisfied,” Alodia posted on Sunday, November 26, further encouraging other gamers to look for McDo menu items in their favorite games.
Have you encountered McDo food look-alikes in your games? Which item in its menu satisfies your game-playing cravings? With more gamers joining in on the fun, it will be exciting to see how extensive the hunt’s results will be!
