McDonald's Latest Video Game Release: A Gamer's Dream Come True

McDonald's surprised fans during the Summer Game Fest and Xbox Games Showcase with the release of a new video game in celebration of Grimace's birthday. As Ronald McDonald's beloved best friend, Grimace had previously starred in McDonald's commercials before disappearing for a while. The purple mascot is now back in the limelight with a range of online and offline elements to mark his special day.

McDonald's has a history of using games to promote its fast food restaurants and train employees, with the first game, Donald Land, being released in 1988 for the Famicom. Since then, the chain has released a variety of games, including the eCrew Development Program, which is exclusively available on the Nintendo DS and is designed to train new restaurant employees.

McDonald's surprised fans of its lovable purple mascot by releasing a new video game titled Grimace's Birthday. The game, reminiscent of early 2000s graphics, showcases parodic McDonald's ads and features a Game Boy Color game that challenges players to help Grimace locate his friends and collect birthday shakes. This fun and engaging browser game was commissioned by McDonald's and brought to life by the talented trio of Gumpy Function, Pearacidic, and Krool Toys, utilizing the GB Studio Central open-source tool to create a Game Boy Color classic.

Unlike the recent collaboration with The Super Mario Bros. Movie that offered exclusive toys for McDonald's customers, Grimace's Birthday celebration does not include specific toys for collection. However, McDonald's frequently partners with popular gaming franchises and promotes new games by giving away toys in its Happy Meals, from Pokemon cards to Overwatch 2 cosmetics. Additionally, McDonald's has even designed a gaming chair with chicken and fry holders and supposedly stain-proof material, allowing players to eat and game simultaneously. Fans of the fast food chain have even gone as far as building a realistic McDonald's using the level editor in games like Far Cry 5 and sharing their love for the brand online.

Source: Grimace’s Birthday, GB Studio Central